30 Days
by CharismaticPheonix
Summary: I have always preferred Goku (from DBZ) and Saber (from Fate Stay Night) as a couple. So here is a story about the two of them, where they meet during a tournament and then it goes as follows.
1. Chapter 1

Day One- A Feeling Like Never Before.

Saber's POV:

This is the fifth time I have been to the world tournament, a challenge where you get to fight the world's finest fighters and thus test your skills which is the basic motive of each and every individual taking part in it. I have gained quite a reputation in the world of martial arts because since the time I have began taking part in this competition I have always been the winner, four times in a row. But I am not proud of it nor there's a need to be. Because my philosophy about life is that there is no end to learning and improving. That's why no matter what you achieve you should never think that you have become perfect and there would always be a person, one out of the so many who by being better than you will make you realize that this philosophy is correct. I am also in the search of the same person. People always want perfection but have they ever thought that how it would be to reach a stage from where there is no moving ahead. It's actually bad, I have experienced it. Fighting and martial arts have been the part of my life since always. After defeating my master, King Kotomine, I found no one who could challenge me. So you see there should always be challenges, something to achieve. Reaching perfection is like stopping but I want to keep moving. This is a major reason that every year come to this tournament to find that rare someone who could provide me a goal of becoming better than him or her, a person who could defeat me and prove to me that I still need to learn a lot.

Emerged in these kinds of thought I stood leaning against the wall of the great hall where all the participants were gathered. The tournament was taking one hell of a time to start so I was fleeting the minutes by observing the surroundings and the people, but it did no good to me as I noticed that almost everyone was glancing towards me once in a while and then murmuring to the person right next to them,

"Isn't that Saber? The girl who have been winning since the last four years."

Then I would hear some others murmuring,

"One time is ok but four times! That's actually a historical achievement man."

Then some other would be talking,

"I think this year too she's gonna win, that lady is tough."

God these people needed to shut up, they should have known that I have quite a good hearing and I start feeling awkward and irritated when I get too much appreciation and attention. People may like it but I have an opposite behavior towards such things. Suddenly I heard a drawl behind me, and I knew who it was. Just the right person at the right time, I thought sarcastically. And so I turned to come face to face with, Jule Evans. He was an old face at the tournament whom I had served quite well at his butt many times during the duels. He was one of those people who have an enormous ego and everlasting confidence which even hinders them from seeing the bitter truth that they are so badly mistaken to think that they are the best in every way whereas the case is quite opposite and there can't be a single person as ridiculous, cheap, and horrible like them. Jule thought he was very handsome and could impress any girl. Call it my utter bad luck that he had taken a liking towards me and was so shameless that even after getting quite negative responses which included even beating, he would yet have the decency to turn up again the next time and try flirting with me like he was going to do now.

"Hello Saber, you seem so alone. And why won't that be? It's due to your so reserved attitude that though you have been attending the tournament since last four times yet don't have any friend inspite of the fact that quite the faces here are the older ones. But don't you worry cause if you say I can give you company." All the while as he was talking he was examining his nails and when he finished he flipped the tip of his hair arrogantly sending me a pointy look. God I felt like vomiting.

"See who is talking of giving company? Who himself seems at an utter lack of it." I commented sarcastically and then without giving him a second glance I went off to the other side of the hall as I was in no mood of arguing or extending matter any further and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible. I could hear him yelling behind me something about giving a second thought to going out for a coffee with him at the nearby restaurant till the tournament start but fortunately after that he didn't follow me and got lost in the crowd. I again found a spot for me to stand and wait. When was this tournament going to start? I was growing impatient by every second when my eyes landed on a quite new face; I hadn't seen that guy at the tournament before. There were other new faces too but I didn't know why my eyes seemed to have got stuck on him for some reason. He was wearing a red martial arts outfit, had a milk white complexion and black spiked hair, I must say I haven't seen such unique hair before, the boy himself seemed so different, different from the rest of the crowd. I didn't know why I felt like this about him when I hadn't met him anytime before. It seemed as if he felt my eyes on him as he began looking in my direction, our eyes locked and I got a better look of him. I must say he had the most beautiful eyes ever, black and deep, reflecting pure innocence. He was quite good looking. I haven't observed anyone like that before; infact looks of people never mattered to me. But this guy seemed to have changed all that; it was inevitable not to notice his flawless features. But then the moment of trance between the two of us was broken when he started looking in the other direction paying attention to the loud announcement from the speakers that the tournament was about to start and participants were requested to reach the duel area. The boy in the red outfit paced outside the hall without giving a second glance to me while my eyes still lingered on him till he disappeared from sight. Do hell with the tournament, when I was desperately waiting for it to start it didn't, but now when I wanted to just stare at this new guy it did start. Wait, did I say I wanted to stare at this new guy? God what was happening to me? I never have such weird thoughts as ridiculous as to stare down someone. I really needed to get a grip as I was not being myself today or to say since I have seen this boy. I wonder who he is.

Goku's POV:

So finally I am at the world tournament, it had always been my dream to fight with the world class fighters. It is my first time and I am quite excited. Since there was time for the tournament to start I took to observing my surroundings. I could hear most people talking about a girl named Saber, that she had been winning since the last four tournaments and is fabulous at martial arts. I really want to compete with her. As I was just roaming around I felt someone's gaze on me and then I turned to find a blonde beauty looking in my direction. Our eyes locked and I couldn't help but observed her. She wore a white shirt and black trousers, had a snow white complexion and her eyes were the loveliest thing I have ever seen in my life, big and so green they were. The moment seemed to have stopped in time but then it moved on as the announcement from the loudspeaker that the tournament was about to begin took my attention away. I quickly moved out of the hall still thinking about this new girl, but never looking back in her direction again because the feeling that got induced in me on the very first sight of her had made me feel so awkward. My heart had raced at seeing her and I don't know why it happened. The feelings were so strange, a thing I haven't felt before. I wonder who she is.


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all I would like to thanks Coronadomontes and Maxigiaampieri2012. Love you both for appreciating my story.**

Now here comes the next chapter.

Day One Cont: The Tournament Begins.

Saber's POV:

I stood in the duel area along with other participants, I was trying my best not to think about the guy in the red outfit and yet my eyes searched for him through the crowd of people around me. The people in charge of the tournament had began to announce as to who was going to fight whom in the first round. After a series of names came my name and it was announced that I was going to fight with someone named Goku. The announcer asked the said participants to come forward so as to cross check that we were present at the competition. I went forward and to my surprise I saw that the other participant and my rival in the duel who stepped forward was no other but the red outfit guy. He too was giving me an incredulous look, though I couldn't figure out what could have been the reason for his surprise. As the announcer marked a tick infront of our names we stepped backward in our line. I thought that atleast now I had a name to address him with; red outfit guy seemed quite long. After all the pairings were done the first match of the first round began, it was between a toad faced man named Hoppit and his rival Oppo. Since the beginning of the match I had been trying to pay attention to it but to no use, my eyes will always drift to where Goku was sitting, his non faltering attention focused at the duel. On the other hand all that occupied my mind were his thoughts, what kind of fighter he would turn out to be? How was my match with him going to be? Would he be a challenge or not? But at the same time I think I had the answer to all these questions, I had a feeling of my own that he was very strong and would be a great challenge.

Finally after three matches came our turn, as I stepped into the arena and saw Goku entering it from the other side I could feel my heart thudding like a hammer as if it would come out any moment. I hadn't felt so nervous in any match. Quickly I shut my eyes close and took deep breaths to calm myself down and tried to focus all my attention to the duel. When I opened my eyes I saw Goku looking directly at me with the expression which said out loud that he was ready for the battle. Suddenly it seemed as if his confidence got transferred into me or whatsoever, that I began to feel all my nervousness gone and was ready to charge upon. We both did a bow and then as the announcer yelled, "Let's begin!" Goku made his first move.

He tried to throw a punch towards me but I dodged it successfully.

Then a row of punches and dodges followed between us for a good several minutes before we jumped apart so as to get our breaths back, at the same time we seemed to be contemplating over the small duel that we just had. I had fought so many fights before, but in those few minutes sparring that I had with him, I could say I had found the biggest challenge of my life. Saying Goku was an awesome fighter was like underrating him, he had turned up to be much more than I could have ever thought. Seeing the calm smile on his face I figured he too was impressed by my fighting skills. The crowd seemed to be enjoying quite a lot, I could hear people shouting ours names and cheering at the top of their lungs. We once again charged at each other. There were kicks, punches, more kicks, and more punches, sometimes he would send me thrashing in the air, and sometimes I would rob the ground off his feet. Suddenly an unexpected thing happened; Goku just vanished from the arena. Where did he go? I stood dumbstruck looking here and there when I felt a rush of wind tinkling near my arm and right then Goku appeared from nowhere, hitting me hard across my head. As I was knocked down I realized that all the while he had been in the arena but his speed was so fast that I wasn't able to see him. I got up quickly and as the fight proceeded further I was convinced that Goku was so unpredictable because what he did next surprised the hell out me. There were gasps from the audience as well as from the commentator as he changed his form, his hair became of golden color and his eyes turned from black to emerald green. And did I tell he looked all the more gorgeous with this look on him. Oh no, I have started again. For heaven's sake woman, how could you be having such thoughts while in the middle of a fight? I scolded myself mentally. But again I thought who could blame me? Goku was just so, so…, Oh Just shut up. Alright coming back to the duel, since Goku changed into this golden guy thing I found his power levels increased to thousands times from earlier and I must say it was incredible. I couldn't even imagine someone having so much of power. Now it became so difficult for me to land even a single blow while he showered over me with hundreds. I did realize that I was on the losing side; I got knocked down several times but everytime I got up just to be knocked down again. Though finally the time did come when my will power gave up against the excruciating pain caused by my numerous broken bones, not to mention the pool of my blood in which I lay flat on the arena with my eyes drifting close. The last sound I heard were the cheerful roars of the crowd for the winner. The name 'Goku' seemed to have filled the air and inspite of my wretched condition, for some strange reason my heart fluttered with which can be called as joy, before it was complete black out.

Goku's POV:

When the announcer called out the name Saber and then said my name as her duel partner, I was surprised that in the very first match I was getting the opportunity to fight the person I so much was willing to have a duel with. But when the girl whom I had seen earlier in the hall stepped forward from the line, I was shocked. I had never thought that she would turn out to be Saber. She too had a bewildered look on her face, though I couldn't figure out what could have been the reason for her surprise.

Our turn came after three matches, I was so curious for the fight ahead, but Saber looked a little nervous. As the both of us entered the arena she closed her eyes shut and when opened them again she suddenly looked much more confident than before. As the announcer yelled let's begin! I made my first move but she dodged it quite fast. Soon a lot of punches and blows were exchanged between the two of us before we jumped apart to get our breaths back. I had only one word to describe this short sparring: wow. When I had come to the tournament and heard almost everyone singing praises of Saber, I had thought they were just exaggerating. I mean how good can someone be? But now when I was actually experiencing it on my own I had to say she was much more than anyone could ever praise. After our little break we continued again, later in the match she was quite taken aback by my fast speed technique and I served her hard at her head. As the duel continued further I knew that to win from someone as incredible as her my normal form wasn't enough so I transformed into a super saiyan. My power level increased and I found that I was able to overpower her. Though still she was putting up quite well, I knew then that she was going to lose. I knocked her down several time but each time she would get up again and make futile efforts to hit or hurt me. Knowing that now there was no chance for her to win, I felt so guilty in hurting her anymore. But when she made a comeback she left no option for me but to beat her up again because the match needed to be done with. Though finally the time did come when the stubborn girl finally decided not to get up again and I took a sigh of relief. The crowd cheered for me as I was announced the winner. Earlier the idea of being the winner of the world tournament in the very first go would have set me on a cloud of utmost happiness. But in the present moment as I saw Saber lying flat in the pool of her own blood with several broken bones, my senses grew deaf to all the cheering around me and all I could feel was that my heart shuddered with what could be called as a very dreadful feeling as I saw her beautiful eyes drifting close.

 **Please Review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, thanks for the reviews and support. I am so sorry it took me so long to update. Actually I was stuck with school work and exams. But now since my holidays have begun I think I can again work on my story, so before I start with the next chapter I want to say few things to some of the reviewers…**

 **To Gogeta: I apologize if you find my concept so absurd. But I never meant to insult the saiyan race as I myself am a great fan of Goku so I won't ever do that. The reason why I have portrayed Saber so perfect and powerful is just because in my story I want Goku to have a very potential partner, someone who is quite a match to him. You know Goku is the best so he deserves the best. No offences.**

 **To Rex: For sure as the story will proceed holy blades will get included.**

 **Once again thanks to all… now here is the next chapter.**

Day 6: An Age Old Friendship.

My eyes drifted open to witness a large ceiling, but it wasn't the ceiling of my room that I was sure about. So where was I?

I looked around and realized that I was lying in a bed in a hospital. Then slowly I recalled the reason for it, it must have been after the tournament that I would have been shifted for treatment in the hospital. As the memories of the tournament day flooded into my mind a small smile began to play on my lips. So I actually did get defeated, I thought. And I actually found the person I was searching for. Though I always knew it but Goku just proved it that I hadn't reached perfection and I was so glad that it was so. He now had provided me with a goal.

Goku, as the name came to my mind, my heart fluttered. But again I am a fighter, and **fighters** aren't supposed to feel such things.

Yet here I was beginning to wonder whether I would get to see him again or not. If he happens to be there at the next tournament then it would be after too long, almost one year. And what if he doesn't turn up? The moment the thought hit me, I felt sick. I didn't even want to imagine that I couldn't meet him anymore. No one ever had affected me as much as this boy did. It almost scared and at the same time overwhelmed me how I felt for Goku. My train of thoughts got halted as the nurse came in. Her eyes got lighted up.

"Oh dear! You woke up. I am so happy." She said approaching my bed.

"I must tell Goku that you have gained consciousness, the poor boy had been so upset for you." She stated.

I was totally taken by surprise and yelled out,

"What?"

"What, what?" the nurse asked confused.

"I mean Goku; did he come to visit me?" I asked with my heart racing.

"Everyday. You had been unconsciousness for five days and everyday Goku would pay a visit and brought these for you." The nurse said pointing to some flowers kept in the vase on the table next to my bed. They were so beautiful, how didn't I notice them before?

"Though we didn't allow visitors to be with the patients for long but seeing his affection for you I didn't had the heart to ask him to leave soon. I saw how he used to hold your hand and talked to you for long, even though he knew you won't reply and couldn't hear him. He would stare at you with so much of care and love that my eyes use to get watered." The nurse said with a smile.

I couldn't believe my ears. Was the nurse telling the truth? It just seemed so impossible. Why would Goku do that? He didn't even know me; we weren't any acquaintances; infact we were simply two strangers who were rivals at a match, then why? I began pondering over it.

"Alright dear, you must rest now. I will come to check upon you later again." Said the nurse and as she was about to leave I popped out, or to put it more properly I almost yelled out of anxiety,

"Will he come again?"

And then waited for the ans as if my life depended on it, and I think it did.

The nurse smiled at me and took my hands into her.

"Of-course, why not? After all, it's written in his eyes how much he loves you. Don't ever let him go. Very few people are lucky enough to get a love as such like him. Not to mention he is so darn handsome." The nurse winked and said the last sentence with a girlish giggle. Before I could correct her about the both of us not being some freaking lovers, she left the room humming to herself. Seriously, was she a nurse? Old women I tell you.

I didn't know how much time had passed exactly but I guessed probably an hour since the nurse had left. All through the while I had been caressing the petals of the flowers which Goku had brought for me. The question, that why he was doing all this for me was bothering me like hell.

It was then when the door to my hospital room opened and in entered the very subject of all my thoughts. My eyes never left him as he made his way towards my bed, though his eyes were down and he looked quite nervous as if afraid. He was carrying a box of chocolate with him. He sat on the bed next to mine; I guessed it would have been his place to sit when he came to visit me earlier. He finally looked up at me and managed a small smile.

"Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." I greeted back.

"So how are you feeling now?" he asked.

"Just fine." I replied. Earlier when I was getting upset over whether I would get to see him or not, I couldn't have imagined that I would get to conversing with him that too this soon.

"I…I brought this for you. Hope you will like it." He said in a little stammering voice as he motioned the chocolate box towards me.

"Well, I do like chocolates a lot. And these flowers that you brought are too beautiful, thank you." I said with a smile as I took the box from him.

Goku again seemed to have become quite interested with the floor and his shoes as his eyes never left them and my eyes were stuck to the chocolate box which I was holding in my hands. I wanted to talk to him, to ask him the very question that had been nagging me since I came to know of his visits but the words won't just come out.

Suddenly I heard Goku get up; in the process he knocked down some of the articles from the table beside my bed. He quickly apologized and bent down to pick them up just to knock down some more objects, this time bringing the flower vase falling on his head, but fortunately since it wasn't made of some brittle material so it didn't break.

Only I knew how I controlled my laughter seeing his clumsiness, god he was so nervous. Finally he somehow did manage to place the objects back to their place.

"It seems you are quite well now and soon will get discharged, which means no more visits will be needed. Well then, I'll take my leave, goodbye." He said and with that he turned to leave.

I couldn't believe his nervousness was getting so much to his head that it was making him act this awkward. I mean how he could just leave like that without any exchange of a proper conversation after he had been visiting me since last five days.

Okay, I accept that I too wasn't being any better in socializing with him but I had proper reasons for that. I was a fish out of water around him because of the bizarre feelings he inspired in me.

But what was the reason for his jitteriness? Was it because we were strangers? But again, being strangers doesn't seemed a reason so big to make a person act so fidgety as much as Goku was being now. And it was him who started it; coming to hospital for visits and all. So, what else could have been the reason? As I pondered about it a sudden realization dawned upon me. May be he too was experiencing the same feelings for me as I was for him, just may be. And if it was so then I found myself relishing in the heavenly thought. Swarms of butterflies were dancing in my stomach. All through this while I had been so occupied with my own head that I hadn't noticed that Goku had already left. Hell!

As if some reflex action his name escaped my lips. The very next moment the door to my room opened and Goku peeped in.

"Did you call me?" he asked.

Oh, so he wasn't gone yet. I released a sigh of relief. He must have just stepped out of the door when I had called out his name. I was grateful for my good timing. Though the problem now was- what I was going to reply to his question? I did call him back, but why? I couldn't start a conversation just then. But I quickly needed to come up with something because I didn't want him to get prepared for leaving again. So I gathered all my courage and said it,

"I just wanted to talk."

Goku stared at me from the door as if I had gone insane; well he wasn't at all wrong if he thought so. I myself have been quite supportive of the opinion of getting my head checked since the time I had began being worse than a school girl sickly in love, instead of the serious and emotionless fighter that I actually am.

I saw Goku approaching to his initial position on the bed next to mine. As he took his seat, this time I was determined to start a conversation and I did felt a little boosted up than before.

"So Goku, it isn't like we are friends or something. Then why had you been coming to visit me when I was unconscious? I asked, Ofcourse trying my best not to sound like proposals of friendship in near future were not appreciated.

Goku fiddled with his fingers for sometime before looking in my direction and answering,

"Actually I had been feeling quite guilty since our match. I mean I had hurt you much. So I just felt a responsibility to come here and see how you were progressing."

"But that's what you do in a match; to defeat your opponent you have to hurt them so there's nothing to feel like guilty." I said.

"I know, but you kept coming back and I had to beat you more than was required. You were so badly wounded that I felt worried and thus I came to visit you." Goku said.

"So you are of that type, too kind to regret even hurting their opponent. Then I am sure you would have been visiting all the opponents you would have hurt during the others matches that would have followed at the tournament." I said, though I didn't want to sound rude but I did because somehow I knew Goku wasn't telling the complete truth. There was more behind his coming to visit me than he was revealing and thus it annoyed me that he was hiding it.

"Saber look, I didn't visit the other opponents I defeated but you. And if you really want to know why, then it's because you are so different from any other fighter I have ever fought. Infact you are unique, your power, it's, it's incredible. Your moves, everything about you is so wonderful. I wanted to know you more and have more matches with you. I did defeat you but I know there's more in you then I saw in the match and that it will come out when you will train thus becoming better than now. In you I see the power I have been searching for, no one ever in the past but you forced me to go to supersaiyan in a very short while. I seriously believe that you are the one who one day can give me the challenge I have been wanting for long or can be the biggest challenge of my life and I love challenges." He finished, the last three words bringing a blush to his cheeks but I knew he didn't mean it the way his sentence seemed to be putting it.

So it wasn't only me who thought of him as a great or biggest challenge of my life but the feeling was mutual. I felt glad that he thought so high of me and at the same time felt sad that the reason behind his visiting's was not what had given me butterflies.

Goku brought his hand forward and I took it quickly,

"Friends?" he said with a smile.

"You know what? Even I hold the same opinion about you as you hold for me and thus I too want to know you and have more matches with you so it will be a pleasure to have an awesome friend like you." I said with a smile as we shook hands. There was such pleasant warmth in his touch but I shook off the feeling quickly. I felt ashamed seeing how Goku was so focused whereas I was being distracted. But I couldn't fall weak, not to some ridiculous feelings. I decided at the very moment to get out of my mind any thoughts which could be nearly called as romantic and never let them get to me again.

A moment of silence followed between the two of us, and then I said,

"So tell me something about you, considering since we have agreed to become friends we should try to know each other."

"Yeah right, why not." Goku voiced out scratching the back of his head accompanied with a hearty laugh.

As Goku went on telling me about his life I came to know that he was a student at Mount Hickrey collage, he had a big sister named Sakura Matou as his only family. The girl had adopted him because he had lost his parents when he was just a baby. I felt so sorry for him when he told me that. How fate could be so cruel to a boy like Goku, I thought.

About me I told him that Master Kotomine was my father and my mentor. Goku was quite surprised to know that I was home-schooled because my father preferred to keep me away from much contact with outside world. Only the world tournaments were one single thing I was allowed to go to and rest of my time was spent at home which was far away in the countryside, training and learning.

"But Saber that's wrong. Everyone deserves freedom and to know the world they live in. How can your father keep you caged like that? Don't you feel bad about it?" Goku asked,

"Actually Goku, I did felt bad about it when I was a kid. Then I had a mad desire to go and explore the outside world. But as time passed I began to like this kind of lifestyle which was to be at a secluded place, a place where I could concentrate and train properly, a place away from the crowd, away from mobs of people." I replied.

"I understand Saber what you want to say but you know this world is so beautiful. You don't realize what you are missing by keeping yourself away from it." Said Goku.

"May be you are right Goku, but you see I have grown habitual to a very private kind of lifestyle and I like it this way. I mean tell me doesn't it bother you if every second people are staring and talking about you, which surely is going to happen with me if I chose to live a normal public citizen type of life, the media would always be at my doorstep and I completely hate that."

"Well, its true famous personalities do have these problems but it doesn't mean they go and start living all alone just to avoid the lime light. Instead they somehow manage and try to keep a balance between their private and public life. Anyways I am not saying you are totally wrong, its actually good to have a place just to your own self where no one bothers you but remaining reserved all the time is a bit too much." Said Goku.

"Even I am not saying that you are wrong Goku, and I appreciate a change in my always so reserved life if someone promises me to be with me while he takes me on a tour of the outside world which he so confidently claims is quite beautiful." I said, my words giving a clear hint that I wanted Goku to take me for some outing.

"Why not, Europe has so many wonderful places to visit and I assure you, you won't regret it ma'am." Said Goku as he stood up and did a mock bow when he said the word ma'am. I giggled and thought that he was so adorable.

As our conversation continued further I found it so surprising that the person around whom I had felt so nervous before that even saying a greeting to him seemed difficult; in just this short while I realized talking to him was the easiest thing in the world. Goku too seemed so open to me. He told me he had won the tournament which of-course was obvious even if he didn't have disclosed it. I congratulated him for his success. We both talked about anything and everything. But that was until the nurse arrived. Curse her.

"Alright, love birds. Now Goku it's time that you leave because I need to give Saber a checkup and of-course she needs rest. You two can have your time together when she gets discharged. Ok?" the nurse said with a cheeky smile.

I so wanted to murder her. Why was she so persistent about the both of us being lovers? I felt so embarrassed that she had addressed us as love birds infront of Goku, who was flushed red by the comment.

I wanted to say so much to him. Though we had agreed to be friends still I wanted to assure once again that we were going to meet again. I wanted to assure once again that the precious relation which was friendship was going to continue between us. But I didn't even get a chance as he quickly said his goodbye and reached for the door. But as if he could read my thoughts he turned to me with a lovely smile adoring his handsome face and that answered all my unsaid doubts because I somehow knew what that smile meant. It simply meant that yes he would come again and our friendship will flourish further. I couldn't help but smile at him beamingly. It was then that he left. Though he was gone I could still feel him around me. My mind musing over how our further meetings would be like and in midst of all these thoughts I almost forgot to shout at the nurse who had now began doing something with glucose bottle attached to my hand through some strips. My smile never left my face because I had found a person in whom I not only saw my greatest challenge but he was also the person whom I had known since such a short while yet it felt like I had known him since ever, like I had an age old friendship with him. Though as usual my mind forbade me from having such feelings, my heart loved it nonetheless.

 **I know its quite long than previous chapters. So do you like it?**

 **Review please my lovely reviewers!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- How Could That All Be A Lie?**

 **Goku's POV:**

It was a fine refreshing morning. And guess what? I was going to meet Saber. I still couldn't believe as I made my way to her hospital room that the girl I had been so fidgety around, it only had taken me few minutes to befriend her and now we were almost like best friends. She's so perfect, strong and all good stuff, I am so eager to know her more and more. Though yesterday the end of our conservation hadn't been as good as was the start. The nurse had referred to us as lovers. I just hope Saber would have forgotten about it. God it was so embarrassing. As this last thought stuck me I realized that I had reached her ward. I could sense a lot of commotion from inside the room. It intrigued me and I quickly turned the knob and opened the door. To my utter surprise I saw that few doctors and nurses were standing with worried faces and Saber wasn't there on her bed. My heart started to thump uncontrollably at the sight. The same nurse from earlier was the first one to notice my presence. She came to me and said,

"Oh dear, I am so sorry. We don't know how this happened, last night the girl was here but today when I came to check upon her in the morning I found the bed was empty. Though it's very strange how she could escape from the eyes of so many people and workers here. And she has left this." She laid out in a worried tone as she handed me a crumbled parchment. Unfolding the paper I read,

Goku,

I am very sorry that I have to leave like this. But my father contacted me through telepathy and told me that he was in some trouble. He didn't have the time to give details as to what the exact problem was. He only asked me to reach to him fast. Though I already feel well enough to get discharged it wasn't a problem staying here at the hospital for some long but now as I told you my father needs me immediately and so I am leaving the hospital without informing the hospital's authority as they won't let me go. Even if I would make many requests and will explain my problem to them they will hold me atleast till tomorrow to do the formalities. I assure you that as soon as my work would be done I would be back to you. After all you have promised a Europe tour to me.

Saber.

As I finished reading I realized that though Saber had tried her best to convince me through her letter but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to believe that things were as simple or casual as she was trying to make them sound. I wondered what could have been the problem with her father and as she had mentioned that she didn't knew what the exact problem was so what if it turned out to be very big, something very ominous. I don't doubt Saber's power and yet it doesn't stop me from worrying about her.

"Is there anything else important enough that you think you need to tell me nurse?" I asked and when she shook her head I quickly left the hospital at once.

I wrecked my brain for the conversation that I had with Saber earlier, I remembered she had told me that she lived in a far off small town towards the east of Europe called "Swerve hills". And so I took to flying there.

As I always carried my iPad with me I tried to search the place on net but the maps showed no indications (A/N: Yeah right, Goku is gonna be quite techno friendly and has a quite different personality in my story… which is as you can see, is getting revealed slowly and would be revealed further in later chapters…so stay tuned for the surprises ^-^). Probably Swerve Hills was so secluded that even the search engines and online maps too didn't have any information about it. So that left me with only one option and that was asking the people on the way along. But then owing to the fact that very few people knew about Swerve Hills, I had a great problem finding it and it was almost evening by the time I reached there.

Now that I had finally reached my destination the next task was to search for Saber. Just as if keeping the promise of being the most isolated place I had ever seen I found very few inhabitants. I inquired them about Saber. And to my surprise they all said they hadn't heard of or seen any girl with the name Saber. I even told them her appearance but to no avail, people still came up with the same ans that they hadn't seen any girl matching my description. I also interrogated them about, if there was some other place nearby by the same name. But again some people didn't have any idea and some were quite confident that it was the only place with the name Swerve Hills towards the east of Europe.

My heart was beginning to feel like a hammer against my chest. "What was happening? If Saber lived at the place then how was it possible that no one knew or haven't even seen her ever? Had she been lying to me? But why would she do that? The conversation that we had in the hospital, she had seemed so open to me. There was such truth and sincerity in her eyes. How could that all be a lie?"

Oh crap! These thoughts and these questions seemed endless and going on in a circle repeatedly. They were fogging up my mind like hell. I clutched my head and sat on a nearby staircase. I felt worry, concern, confusion, all at the same time and most of all I felt annoyed, so badly annoyed that I couldn't do anything about the situation. What was the lie? What was the truth? Where was Saber? Nothing was making sense. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to find the very aged woman whom I had earlier inquired about Saber just like I had other people at the village. She eyed me curiously before taking a seat beside me on the stairs. Now her eyes were focused on the night sky and she began to speak,

"My son, I think you should go back home now. We always don't get what we want; we always don't find what we are searching for. And that is the point when we should realize that we should leave the things in the hands of time and fate. I can feel by the looks of you that you have done everything in your reach to find her. Now have patience and wait." She said finally looking in my direction and giving me a motherly warm smile.

I admit I am a person who doesn't believe in time and fate, but who actually believes in making these two abstracts turn my way by my efforts and actions. But then I was feeling that everything has a first time and it seemed it was going to be the first time of my life when I felt I actually would have to leave things to fate and time because the woman was right I had tried everything in my reach. I gave out a sigh of disappointment, but then I regained my composure and thanked the woman for whatsoever effort she had made to comfort me. I left the place waving my final goodbye to the old lady.

 **REVIEW PLEASE.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter-5 My Childhood Friend Toshaka.**

Goku's POV:

Since now I had memorized the path, the journey back hardly took few hours. I arrived at my residence 432 avenue apartment, Green Street. It was exact 12:00 at midnight then. I rang the bell but as I had expected it wasn't my sister who opened the door but my friend from college, Rin Toshaka. She looked quite angry. Before I could ask her what she was doing at my home at such a time she began talking in a sickly sweet, calm yet sarcastic voice which obvious was a signal of the upcoming storm,

"So would you like to enlighten me where you had been. Oh wait I know, obviously visiting that oh so wonderful new friend of yours. And must I say, first it took you only several hours of your day to visit her but today it has taken the entire day itself. Now that girl has become so important in just one- or two days that for her you can even forget your childhood friend, right? Now what next? You are going to shift with her in her house or something?"

"Oh please Rin, not now." I said massaging my tensed head. I already was so upset and Rin was just making it worse.

"Oh not now, then when Goku? You promised taking me on a movie today and then you didn't show up. I was standing like an idiot in front of the theater because my stupid partner didn't arrive. Since this Saber has come into your life, you have changed, you always are so eager to go and meet her. You have begun spending so much time with her. And today I had asked you only to give some of your time to me and you didn't show up." she was almost yelling by now.

"For god's sake Rin what do you mean by since Saber has come into my life? You are talking as if she has been with me since years. I didn't show up because there was some problem. A genuine problem. You should have thought that there must have been some trouble or something that had kept me from coming. Otherwise you tell me; when there had been a time when I had ever forgot a promise done to you. Even now after seeing my upset face, instead of being concerned about what wrong could have happened with me you are just misinterpreting everything as I must have stayed with Saber and forgotten you and rubbish!" I yelled back.

A sudden guilt simmered in Rin's charcoal black eyes after my outburst but quickly it was replaced by fuming anger once again,

"Then tell me what was the bloody problem?" she asked in an almost threatening voice.

I had expected her to atleast calm down after hearing that some problem had held me back but when she didn't, it only added fuel to my anger. I was about to shout back on her when I heard my sister's voice.

"You both won't let me have even a warm shower in peace and comfort. Leave you two for few minutes and see what happens? " she commented as she came to stand by Rin's side.

"Sis look, I am already so upset and tired and Rin here instead of understanding my problem is just shouting on me!" I complained.

"But…" Rin began saying but was silenced by the raise of a hand by my sister.

"Be quite for a moment both of you. Goku please come inside. And must I say that I too am angry, for you have being out the entire day. No messages, no phone calls. Even when we tried from our side you didn't respond back. Didn't you think I would be worried? Also, Rin had come in hopes of finding you here at home after she was tired of waiting for you at the theater. But when I told her that you hadn't yet returned from your visit to Saber she had been persistent and decided to stay till you came back. " said Sakura.

"Sis, I am not a child, ok? You don't need to worry about me so much." I laid out causally as I took my seat at the sofa.

"Being 21 years old and the world martial arts champion doesn't mean you can roam around anywhere at anytime of the day. You do have other responsibilities and nothing changes the fact that being your big sister I care for you and worries about you. And so you have to keep me informed of your whereabouts, no matter what." Sakura said in a strict voice.

"Alright, alright. Even I agree with you and I didn't mean to put it the way you are interpreting it. It just that I was so stuck today, everything slipped out of my mind. And I know I should have informed. But mistakes do happen and I am sorry."

After hearing this, Sakura seemed to have lost all her anger whatsoever, as she gave me a satisfied nod. While Rin on the other hand would look at everything except me, her face expressionless. She really was so angry with me. May be after listening to what actually happened throughout the day she was going to forgive me. And so I began spilling out to them the whole tragic day. At the beginning Rin still pretended not to be interested but as I proceeded she was drawn in. By the time I finished both Rin and Sakura had sympathetic looks in their eyes.

"That's so weird Goku. Why would she give you wrong residential address?

"Exactly. That's what bothering me. I had thought once that maybe it's because she didn't want to see or meet me anymore." I said.

"No Goku, that's absurd. If she would have felt such denial in having a friendship with you she could have rejected your proposal straightaway. No one was forcing her." Said Sakura.

"No I mean may be she didn't want to be harsh or rude and that's why she didn't reject the proposal straightway. But deep down she might have been in denial as I already told she likes to have a very private life and is very very reserved kind of person." I said.

"Naay, you are so impressive Goku. Why would anyone not want a friendship with you that too when you yourself are hoisting the opportunity. I think this girl is hiding something else. But the question is what? And now since her whereabouts are unknown we can't go searching for her all around the world. So all we can do is to wait and rely on that letter in which she has mentioned she will come back to you."

"Really Sakura? The way she had lied to me about her living place do you believe she will come back? She of-course seems to be wanting to get rid of me."

"Goku please. How many times will I have to repeat myself? Think positive. Maybe ending her friendship with you wasn't her motive at all. It could also have been the case that because of some problem she couldn't tell you about her exact living place. You can clear all your doubts when she once comes back. Ok?"

"Hope you are right Sakura. Hope she does come back. Or else I would be left to ponder upon thousands of reasons and questions as to what made her want not to meet me again ever, so much so that she lied to me like this." I said with a sad sigh.

And before Sakura could say anything Rin who had been sitting so quietly till now suddenly spoke out,

"She means a lot to you, isn't it Goku? It means a lot to you what she thinks of you?" she asked, her voice had no sarcasm, or anger. It seemed she was simply asking this, though I don't know why but nonetheless I answered her with what the truth was.

"Yes." I replied.

I was surprised when Rin gave a sadistic smile at my ans. Why was she behaving like this? As if she was hurt yet pretending that she wasn't. I cared for my sister, I cared for Rin and I cared for many other people, in a similar way I had come to care for Saber also. Though I admit that I myself felt strange how I got so attached to the blond beauty in such a short time, but does the time even matters? It's just that caring for someone isn't a bad thing, then why Rin was so bothered with my concern for Saber?

I was about to say something to her when she got up to leave.

"Yeah. I too think it's been very late Rin and thus you should go. Your mom has been so worried. Since evening she has called me god knows how many times asking for you. But you being the stubborn girl that you are, in your anger against Goku you completely refused to talk to her, and then I had to console her every time she called." Said Sakura pretending fake anger.

"I know Sakura. I can be such a trouble sometimes. Sorry."

Said Rin.

Before Sakura could laugh off Rin's apology saying that it was actually not needed and she was just teasing her around, I couldn't stop myself and popped out,

"Sometimes?"

And obvious for this I got a nice shove at my head with Rin's bag that she was carrying. As I massaged my hurt head Rin waved goodbye to Sakura and began making her way to the door. I quickly followed her outside. She did notice that I was trailing behind but she didn't buzz. Quietly she reached her car, opening its door she moved inside to take her place at the driver's seat. But was shoved by me to the seat beside.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked in an offended tone.

"I am going to drop you home, like a gentleman." I said slightly jerking my collar.

"You are nothing but a clown. Now get out of my car, I can go home on my own." Rin said.

"Why are you so mad at me woman!" I shouted, quickly clapping my mouth shut at the last word I uttered. Rin hated being called a woman because of-course she was young enough to not to be called a woman yet. And since the word had just slipped out of my mouth I was going to be in trouble. Though as if Rin had decided to surprise me, instead of beating the hell out of me she just closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She sure was trying to swallow her anger. Then opening her eyes she asked me again to leave her car but when I refused she just sighed and looked forward with helpless eyes.

It was so unlike her. Generally when she got angry with me I always used this trick that I irritated her by not following what she asked me to do, and it didn't take any long when she went mad with fury and started fighting with me which ended into nothing but our giggling and laughing at our clumsiness and the absurdity of the fight as we two could never hurt each other genuinely, and thus that marked the end of our quarrel. But how she was behaving now it didn't seem she was going to try beating me or something. The biggest proof that she didn't reacted even on being called woman. I felt a pang at my heart. What had I done to make her this upset? And so I realized that this time no jolly tricks were going to work.

I turned towards her and took her face in both my hands. She was actually startled by my actions but remained still. I looked deep in her eyes and said,

"What's the matter Rin? What's bothering you so much? I will never do anything that can hurt my princess as much as it seems to be hurting. I have never seen you this upset. And if I have actually done something so wrong that you are this hurt then I apologize to you Rin. Please forgive me, please." I pleaded, and I genuinely meant every word that I said. Rin was my childhood friend and I always had wanted to be the cause of her happiness and not the reason for her sadness. I engulfed her in a hug and this was when she melted, she buried her head into my shoulder and hugged me back tightly.

"Goku, tell me this girl Saber won't take my place." she spoke out suddenly in a muffed voice.

To say I was surprised was an understatement, I was shocked. Was this the silly thought that had made her so upset? I pulled apart from our hug but kept my grip at her arms and she maintained hers on mine.

"Rin have you gone nuts? Do you even realize what you are asking? This is just so undoubtful and unquestionable that you do have a very special place in my life and heart and no one ever can take that. Not Saber not anyone. Ok?" as I said this I saw a beaming smile spreading over Rin's face. She again cuddled into my arms hugging me affectionately.

"Silly girl. Don't you dare think such nonsense again." I reprimanded her jokingly as I stroked and shuffled her smooth hair.

After few minutes she pulled apart and said,

"I am so sorry Goku. I know I am so silly. I have been so horrible to you today. I really apologize for that. Also I want to say that I too think and assure you that Saber will come back. You just have to be patient; time sure will reveal all answers to your questions." She said squeezing my hand.

I nodded at her and was so glad that she was back to normal.

"So Mr. Gentleman you were going to drop me to my house, right?" she asked.

"Of-course my lady." I said by doing a mocking bow making her giggle once again.

I told Rin that I needed to inform Sakura that I was going to drop her home. But when I turned to come out of the car, I saw from the window that Sakura was already standing at the door that too with a wide smile over her face. How long she had been standing there? I wondered. And what was the eye to eye smile for? Now before I could ask her for permission she herself shouted out,

"Yeah Goku, you can go to drop her. But be back soon."

At that I smiled and drove away in the car with Rin. The whole way Rin was surprisingly quiet, she was resting her head on my shoulder and by the time we reached her home I realized she had fallen asleep. I tried to wake her up but to no avail. And so now there was no option. I picked her up in my arms and carried her to the front door. I somehow managed to ring the bell without letting her fall. When her mother opened the door she was shocked to see me carrying her daughter like that. I almost blushed. I surely was going to murder Rin for this. If she wouldn't have fallen asleep I didn't have to go through this embarrassment.

"I... I…Aah…Hello Maam…it's just that Rin fell asleep and she wasn't waking up so…" but before I could stammer anymore Rin's mother let out a hearty chuckle.

"It's ok Goku. I can understand. Well, you can take her to her bedroom upstairs." She said.

I quickly did as asked. When finally I went into Rin's room and placed her on the bed, her flushed face didn't go unnoticed by my eyes. Earlier the dark outside had prevented me from seeing it but now that I could see her face properly in the light of her room I couldn't help but admire her pristine skin, those beautiful heavy black locks that were now lying spread all over her pillow and then that cheery blush over her creamy white cheeks. A small cute smile adored her lips even while she was sleeping. She was beautiful and I just felt breathless. I couldn't help but leaned down giving a quick peck on her right cheek.

"I love you Goku." Rin instantly let out in a happy low voice and she was still sleeping.

Next she started mumbling things that were, well, about me.

"Goku you aren't just a gentleman, but you also are so damn handsome, so genius, so cute…" as she continued mumbling her voice became so low that I couldn't hear it anymore.

I chuckled, she was so adorable. With another look on her lovely face and saying that I loved her too I left her room.

Heading downstairs I met up with her mom and bidding her good night I flew out in the night sky to my home.

 **A/N: So guys, what do you think? Let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER-6: I Needed To Find Saber.

 **Goku's Pov:**

It's been four days since Saber's queer disappearance. And the same inevitable questions have been invading my mind.

"Why Saber had lied to me?"

"Why was it that she didn't want me to find her?"

"Was it because she didn't want any friend and continue with her private lifestyle or was it because as my sister had said, due to some problem that forced her to do so? But then what problem could it be?"

"How much was truth in the letter that she had left for me?"

"Had there actually been some problem with her father? Was she going to come back as she had mentioned? Was she ok?

"Was…..

Oh just shut up!

I threw up my hands in dismay. This was so ridiculous. Why couldn't I get this girl out of my head? Since these last four days I haven't even slept properly at night. Though it wasn't like, it was my fault. She was the one who left so abruptly like that, it was her choice and yet I don't know why I was so bothered? Why I have grown to care so much for her? Why?

A rather tired sigh left my mouth as the last thought stuck my mind. Of course I didn't know why but one thing that I had realized was that, my care for her was that single emotion that won't and wasn't letting me forget her.

I closed my eyes and balled my fist. I could take it no longer. Though I had earlier decided to leave things to time but now it seemed I couldn't keep myself firm with the idea. For the sake of my sanity I needed to find the answers. And no matter in which corner of the world I needed to find Saber.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Early Winters?**

 **Shiro's Pov:**

I sighed happily as I was done cleaning with the last desk since it marked the end of my turn to clean the class after school, for the week. It's been because of this after school chorus that when I left for home, already it would be evening, like it was now.

Placing my bag on my back, I paced out in the corridor and was hit hard by a chilly wind that sent shivers all through my body. It reminded me of the fact that how just a few days ago, all of a sudden the weather had changed quite abruptly and though it wasn't even the mid of October, fog and cold winds seemed to have surrounded the whole of Europe. Everywhere you could find people talking about this peculiarity of the season. And it had become the most popular subject of discussion on television too, bringing to the masses the most surreal news that even the geologist or any scientific equipment couldn't identify the cause behind these early winters and thus making the matter even more intriguing among public.

I tightened my arms around myself and began walking down the length of the corridor. Something inside me was giving me premonitions that something bad was about to occur. But I tried to dismiss the thought as a vague imagination of mind, though I couldn't. So it only added to my desire of reaching home as soon as possible.

As I turned a corner near the staircase I heard clashing noises of some sharp objects like large blades or something. My heart palpitation began to increase, and though I was scared I couldn't resist my curiosity of knowing as to what was the cause behind the odd sounds. I followed them and it lead me to the school ground where what I saw had my breath knocked out of me.

Two men, one in complete blue and the other who was wearing some kind of traditional outfit, like those of ancient Japanese assassin warriors, were fighting on the roof of our school. They had huge blades as their weapon and their movements were so fast that it was almost impossible to keep up with it. I saw that the guy in the blue outfit overpowered the assassin, who suddenly disappeared somewhere in the thin air. I so badly wanted to run. I knew that I was going to be in trouble yet I was so awestruck by the scene that I couldn't move. And then to my utter horror the man in blue turned and looked in my direction, that too with a sick grin over his face. Had he been aware of my presence all along? I gulped hard and suddenly felt a jolt of energy rush through me, provoking me like hell for one thing that I should have done way before. Run for my dear life! And so I did but to no avail. The man began playing around with me. He would again and again appear infront of me, no matter in which direction or how fast I ran. Eventually making me realize that my futile efforts weren't going to get me rid of him and so I gave up. He laughed maniacally as I backed up against a street wall. Now he began advancing towards me slowly just like a hungry wolf towards it's prey. Why was the street so abandoned? I cursed. Where were all the people? Then I reasoned that maybe it was due to the weather that they had retired to their homes early. Though I was quite unsure that anyone could help me handle this unearthly being, still in an attempt of a last effort I shouted for help as loud as I could. Of course no one came. It only earned another horrible laugh from the man.

"No one's gonna save you now Shiro Emiya." he let out in an evil tone.

I was shocked. Who was this man? How did he know my name? I was about to voice out my questions when I felt a surging pain pass through my chest; the monster had pierced his blade into the right side of my chest. I withered out in pain as he rejoiced at my misery. This couldn't be my end. I didn't want to die yet. I had so much to live. Now I realized how a dying person feels. My eyes were closed shut; I didn't want to see the ugly face of the bloody maniac. Where on one hand I waited for the inevitable last assault that was going to put an end to my pain once and for all, on the other I prayed for a miracle, though I didn't know to whom, to god, to fate or whatever, I wished for anything, anything that could save me. And to my surprise I began feeling a very positive energy around me. The laughter of the man had died down too. I opened my eyes to find him staring at a large blue circle that had appeared from nowhere, under me. I observed that all the mirth from the man's face was gone and instead he looked quite horrified. Then again, the very next moment, as if he had gained back his senses he made an angry dash towards me, and as a reflex action my arms flew across my body in defense but the blow never came. Instead I heard clashing of blades which made me open my eyes and what I saw was a girl in blue-white armor who had blocked my attacker with her sword.

 _Seriously, what the hell was going on? Was this some kind of dream or something? I mean, first I found two strange looking ancient warriors fighting each other on the roof of my school, then one of them got after life, he even seemed to know me. And now this lady appears from nowhere and saves me._

With all this confusion racking through my mind I watched her as she made further assaults after assaults on the man, who actually seemed to have quite a hard time fighting her. It didn't take her long to drive him to a condition when one more hit of her sword and he would have been dead. But before she could make that final blow against him,

"You will pay for this Saber." he muttered and then vanished, just like that assassin earlier had.

So her name was Saber I reckoned. Next, she turned to me and just stared me down silently. And god! She was so beautiful. All of a sudden I felt all my alarmed senses soothed down by her presence. Despite of all the pain and my wretched condition I couldn't help but admire her. She was completely mesmerizing with those big green orbs and hair that were tied in a bun, except for a few loose blonde strands that framed her perfectly chiseled face.

"I think we should go now, you aren't safe here master Shiro." She said, her voice being a complete change to the monotonous silence that had been prevailing so far I had been gawking at her. Thus it brought me out of my trance.

And wait; did she call me by my name? So she knew it too like that man. And why was she referring to me as master?

I had just opened my mouth to ask her this when a third voice interrupted me.

It was Toshaka, a classmate. A strange looking man with white short hair was along with her as she came running and calling out me.

"Shiro you alright?" she asked in a worried tone, giving a few sideway glances to Saber who was giving a serious silent look to both Toshaka and the man. Now before I could say anything, Rin's eyes fell on the wound over my chest.

"Oh my, you seem to have got hurt badly. Let me fix that." She said as she knelt down beside me and placed her hand over my injury. I must say I had seen such concern in her eyes after a very long time, that too for me. Otherwise at school if ever our path crossed by chance, she wouldn't spare even a single look at me and would walk away lost in her own world. Not to mention with her best friend Goku always by her side.

I still remembered well, those summers of our fifth grade when I had almost come under a truck if it was not for both of them to save me. Goku and Rin then just being kids of eleven years had stopped the huge vehicle with their bare hands making its driver faint out of shock. It was then that I had come to know of their supernatural powers and the fact that beings who possess capabilities above the normal humans do exist. Later I was warned by them not to tell anyone about their secret and I did as asked. After that single incidence I never had any conversations or encounters with them, and we remained mere acquaintances for each other as I preferred to stay away from them and they stayed away from me. I didn't know their reason, maybe they weren't interested or something, but my reason was that though I was thankful to them for saving my life, their powers scared me. I was a normal human and I was happy keeping it that way, thus at any cost I wanted to not get involved in any of their matters and maintained my distance from them.

But at present all my efforts to be away from the unnatural seemed to have gone waste. Because whatever had happened with me very well notified that I had unwillingly and unknowingly became the part of something that was beyond the world of common people and Rin seemed to be quite aware of what was going on.

"It's looks fine now." Rin said finally removing her hand from my chest which actually looked completely healed as if there hadn't been a gash ever.

I nodded my thanks to her and stood up, my eyes falling on the half moon symbol that was shining brightly on my right hand. I hadn't noticed it until now.

"Oh boy! Now what's this?" I let out lifting my hand and eyeing the symbol more carefully.

"You are a maugus Shiro, though its quite surprising that how come a weakling like you whom I always believed to be nothing more than a common human could turn out to be such a powerful thing?." Rin said.

Hey she couldn't insult me like that! I was about to convey to her that I was offended by her remark when the actual sense of whatever she had said stuck me. She was saying that I was a maugus though I had no idea what it meant. What bothered me the most was her mention of the fact that she had always believed me to be a normal human and not something very powerful. So does it meant that I hadn't just become the part of some supernatural phenomenon but I myself was some kind of supernatural being which I was never aware of? And was this the reason that these strange people knew my name? As these realizations dawned upon me I began to feel sick. It couldn't happen. I didn't like violence, I didn't like fights, I didn't like killing, I was so good being normal. I pleaded desperately to god to end it all as a bad nightmare. I didn't want to get involved in any of the matters which can be least called as supernatural and most of all I didn't want to be one of these unearthly creatures!

"Hark!" Saber suddenly voiced out worriedly while my mind still struggled with the current revelations.

"Do you feel that? I told you it wasn't safe out here." Said Saber.

"She is right, this energy it's, it's incredible! We must flee." Said Rin and then she wasted no time in taking my hand and dragging me along with her in her run. The others followed.

"So what's going to happen next, will you enlighten me? Is Jupiter going to fall on us or something?" I voiced out sarcastically in a frustrated tone which only earned me a cold stare from Rin, indicating that I needed to keep quiet and focus on running.

Though I couldn't feel anything as these girls said they were feeling. Maybe the white haired man felt it too as was evident from his tensed face. Oh! I couldn't tell how much I hated being the most unaware one among all this nonsense.

We kept following Rin's lead until we reached a huge bungalow which I supposed was her house. She led us inside the drawing room, and closed the door.

"Now will anyone explain me what's happening?" I asked aloud.

"We will, but not before Goku arrives." Said Rin.

"Yeah right, how could Goku, the very essence of supernatural be left out of all this?" I thought, and then I observed how Saber's face suddenly seemed to have lost all its color at the mention of Goku. Even Rin seemed to have noticed this change in the blonde girl,

"By the way, you didn't introduce yourself, what's your name?" Rin asked her.

"Saber."

Now it was Rin's turn to get surprised. But in a moment her facial expression changed from shocked to a very bitter one as she eyed Saber with utmost hatred.

Though I had been thinking all along that the three were well acquainted with each other so it came to me as a surprise that the girls hadn't even had a formal awareness of one another. Now I wondered what was the case with the white haired guy. He had just been so quite through everything. Did he know the two ladies? Or he too was a stranger to them and they to him? The matters were becoming more and more intriguing.

Rin had now stopped staring at Saber who still looked like a fish out of water and was busy talking to Goku on phone. She first seemed to have difficulty in convincing him to come to her house but then a few minutes later she disconnected the call and told us that he was coming. Rin took a seat at the sofa and asked us all to sit down as well. As everyone did so Rin's gaze once again got directed towards Saber who was almost shaking by now. It seemed she was having quite a bad time fighting certain inner turmoil in her mind and it was ofcourse something related to Goku. As it was after his mention only that Saber had began behaving differently. Her calm and composed demeanor was gone and she looked so panicky. While Rin looked as if ready to murder her. I felt bad for Saber, she had saved my life and been polite to me but what could I do to help her when I myself was feeling so helpless in the situation I was, not having the slightest idea as to what was going on. The white haired man still looked oblivious to everything as he kept staring far off in space with no expressions whatsoever on his face. I realized a tired sigh wondering,

"Where this all was leading?"

 **TBC…..**

 **A/N: Thanks a lot Akira for appreciating my story so much and you are right that its school work because of which I can't get enough time for my story. Still I'll try to update as frequently as possible. I also want to thank all others who support me.**

 **REVIEW PLEASE!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- Bad News.**

 **Goku's Pov:**

I couldn't believe my ears. I had recently been thinking of going on a search for Saber when Rin called and told me that she had Saber at her home. I did want to know how Rin came across her and was she (Saber) back for me as she had mentioned in the letter. But I let all my doubts rest for the while as my urge to meet and see Saber seemed quite high and all I wanted at the moment was to get to Rin's house as soon as possible. In my hurry I didn't bother to give much detail to Sakura who was presently cooking dinner. I only told her that I was going to Rin's before taking a flight outside our front door.

Now that once I was there all my desperation from earlier seemed to have got replaced by what can be called as utter anxiety. My heart felt like thousands bullets against my chest.

What was Saber going to say to me? What was I going to say to her? Would it be right if I straightway go and tell her as to how much angry, hurt and worried I was by the strange act that she had pulled or would it be more appropriate to wait for her to explain everything? What explanations was she going to give me anyway? Was this actually the moment that I was finally going to get the answers to all those questions that I had been craving to get an ans to since last whole week?

Numerous thoughts like these were plaguing my mind and on top of it all I still couldn't believe that she was here and soon I would be seeing her again. I mean I had actually lost all hope that she was ever going show up on her own.

When Rin opened the door I just stood there motionless staring at her like an idiot. I didn't know why but suddenly I was having this strange feeling that whatever was going to be revealed wasn't good and some very bad news was waiting up the way, thus I just couldn't bring myself to barge in and face the fate yet.

"Goku you okay?" Rin asked snapping her fingers infront of my face, seeing me so lost and blank.

I blinked a few times before giving a slight nod.

"So what are you waiting for? Come in." she said as she moved inside gesturing for me to do the same. So finally taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart and finding my legs back I entered Rin's drawing room to find Shirou Emiya. Wait, now what was Shirou doing there? And then there was a white haired man who sat on the sofa with this expression on his face that said clearly, "See if I care for anything."

And then there was her, looking as beautiful as ever. Our eyes met and just like it had happened the very first time we had seen each other, the time seemed to have come to a halt. It was as if everyone around us was not there anymore and it was just the two of us in that moment. I didn't know for how long we kept staring at each other when all that escaped Saber's mouth was my name,

"Goku."

She let it out in such a soft and tender voice that I could feel my insides melting. And then what I did next was so out of the blue. In fact I didn't even think about or realized as to what I was doing before I had done it. As if my legs had grown a sense of their own they carried me towards Saber and reaching her I engulfed her in my arms longingly. Earlier I have had many thoughts about how I was going to react to Saber but in none of them I had imagined that I would go and scoop her in a loving hug like I was doing now. But honestly, now that I did it I felt like it was the most righteous thing at the moment. Having her near me like she was now had made me forget all my anger and hurt that she had caused me. She didn't return my hug and stood like a rock onto which I was clinging but I had no complains as I just felt so relieved, happy and content on having to feel her like this, to feel that she was safe, to feel that she was back. Seriously, I never knew I cared this much for her.

Then someone cleared their throat reminding me that I and Saber weren't alone. I quickly composed and pulled myself away from her so that no one got the wrong ideas. Though when I looked at the people around me I realized that may be they had already got the wrong ideas, as it was that Rin looked murderous with both her fists balled at her sides as if trying to control her boiling anger. Shirou looked confused and even a bit disappointed. Now why was he disappointed? Saber looked speechless. And then there was that man, well, he just looked disgusted. And I think he was the one to interrupt earlier with the clearing of his throat.

Boy, what were they all thinking? I had reacted towards Saber like that because of my care and concern for her. Wasn't it natural that when someone who is dear to you suddenly comes back after a long mysterious disappearance you are likely to feel overwhelmed with emotions and act like I did?

"So this is what we are here for? To see love birds hugging each other, huh? " The white haired man jeered looking at me and Saber.

"I didn't expect this from you Saber. I mean after all you are a servant of the warrior class." He said.

I didn't like a bit the tone of this man. What all rubbish was he blabbering about anyway? Saber, a servant of warrior class? What does that suppose to mean? Also I strictly felt a need to put it right through his head that if two people hugged it didn't necessarily meant that they were love birds as he so confidently seemed to be putting it but they could also be just friends. I was about to convey it to him when Rin spoke up,

"Goku, I understand that you must be very desperate to know about the story behind Saber's mysterious disappearance. I myself am quite eager to know about it," she paused at this and eyed Saber for a moment before continuing,

"But for now a matter much more important than anything else at the moment has come up and we immediately need to discuss about it." Rin said, this time giving a grave look to everyone present in the room.

So my feeling that some bad news was waiting upon to be disclosed seemed to have been correct after all, I thought. Though I had expected it to come from Saber and not Rin.

"What is it Rin?" I asked her,

"The Grail war has started." She replied sternly.

TBC….


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9- 30 Days.**

 **Goku's POV:**

"What- war?" I and Shirou asked at the same time.

But instead of answering our question Rin quietly came to me and taking my right hand in hers she turned it over,

I was about to ask as to what she was doing but was taken aback by a strange mark that looked like a scorpion craved on my hand. I looked back at Rin only to find her staring at it with gloomy and horrified eyes. Shakingly she lifted her right hand and turned it over to reveal a mark like mine except the fact that her's was an arrow sign.

"This is what I feared the most! How could the bloody war leave you out! After all you are one of the most powerful beings on earth. But Goku, I don't want to fight you, more or less hurt you even!" she shouted before breaking into a sobbing heap in my arms.

"Rin what the hell is going on! How come these marks come on our hand and what do they signify? And why are you behaving like this? You are making me quite worried now." I said holding her tightly in my embrace.

"Rin!" the white haired man called out to her and for the first time since I had seen him I felt worry in his voice and his eyes reflected concern.

Saber just watched while Shirou looked concerned but didn't say anything.

Finally somehow composing herself Rin pulled back from me,

"You okay?" I enquired putting a strand of her hair behind her ear and she nodded.

"The Grail war is one of the most powerful magical phenomenons." She continued ,

"One thing is obvious that it's always initiated by an evil soul with an equally evil motive because all that it brings is destruction. It has it's own rules, like it chooses on its own seven servants and their masters. And this time it has chosen us among the seven." She said referring to everyone present in the room.

"So do these marks on our hand signify that we are a part of this Grail war?" I asked and Rin nodded.

"The mark acts as a connection between the master and servant, it's through this mark only that the master can summon the servant or the servant can reach the master when needed. And since the servants don't have the mark the process is one way, that is, the master can summon the servant but the servant cannot summon the master."

"You must have observed that this year winter has arrived early, this mist, this sudden cold, it's all nothing but a sign of what all bad would be coming humanity's way very soon." at this Rin paused eyeing the thick mist through the glass window of her house and then continued further,

"You see, the ones chosen have no choice but to fight and finish each other until one servant master pair remains at the end, then only the war acknowledges that it's complete. The winner gets a wish fulfilled by a magical liquid called the Grail. Now here I should mention that the Grail being something generated from an evil black phenomenon like a war can only grant wishes that help achieve destruction like rule over the world which is generally what all the bad souls want. The battle needs to be done with within a period of 30 days because another inevitable and deadly rule of the war is a curse itself according to which if it isn't finished on time then the whole earth would get covered in snow, unbearable climatic conditions will start prevailing as such no life form would be able to survive."

"Is finishing our opponents necessary? Won't just defeating them suffice?" I asked.

"No, you have to kill all opponents to win the battle." Rin replied.

"Whatever! This, this all is so preposterous! We cannot kill each other like that! " Shirou yelled.

"And for each other's sake we cannot put the world at stake either! We too will ultimately become the part of the dooms that will follow so what's the point in trying to save a few lives when on sacrificing them we can save the entire humanity." Rin yelled back, her voice filled of remorse; showing that the thought of killing one's own friends bothered her as much as it pained Shirou.

"Rin I do understand your concern for humanity and if needed we won't back out from sacrificing ourselves for it but it also doesn't mean that our lives aren't worth giving a consideration once. So I think before taking any step we should first properly ponder over as what has to be done, may be we can find some way other than killing the opponents, to get out of this mess." I suggested trying to come up with the best solution to the situation.

"There is an other way out but it's quite next to impossible. We will have to find and finish the initiator of this war before the war signals a time's up for us." Rin said.

"Really? Why didn't you tell about it earlier! And what's so impossible about it? Infact it's a much better solution where only the one who deserves the punishment gets it and rest everyone is spared."

"You are absolutely right Goku but the problem is, you being a Saiyan have got nothing to do with magic, all you possess is supernatural strength."

"Archer does have some magical powers but not very advanced, his speciality is basically his archery skills." she said referring to the white haired man.

"And Shirou, while he is a Magus, his powers are yet to be discovered."

Well I didn't knew where Rin was going with all this but atleast now I knew why Shirou was there, the question has been bothering me for a while as to why the war would choose him. Though it was quite surprising to know that he was a Magus while I always believed him to be a normal human.

"Coming to Saber...well I don't know much about you..." Rin paused eyeing the blonde girl rather curiously.

"I do have magical powers but a few, like Goku my field of specialization is supernatural powers as well." Saber told.

"So you see the conclusion is that none of us are an expert at black magic but having initiated a thing as evil as the Grail War the initiator of this war sure is and thus has an upper hand. He will use his magic to hide himself; we will never be able to find him then."Rin said.

"So you suggest that since finding and killing this initiator is very difficult as his magical powers are beyond ours we should go about the first way to end the war." Shirou said, sounding very frustrated.

"I am not suggesting to go about anything yet. I am just trying to explain here as to what this war actually is, what are all it's rules, so that we can draw a reasonable solution to the situation." Rin said.

"What's there left to think now Rin, obvious we will adopt the other way, killing the initiator. It may be difficult but nothing's impossible."

"I too agree with you Goku but remember this would be taking a high risk, though 30 days time may seem a lot but it isn't. Once you start going about the task you will realize its almost like pushing the water up a hill with rake, if we cross the time limit consequences will be harsh."

"If situation becomes worse, that is in near future if it seems that we wouldn't be able to find him on time then we will take upon the other option but before that atleast we should try. And Rin you were saying that there are seven servants and masters involved but I can see only a few, maybe someone from the left ones turns out to be good at black magic and would help us." I said.

"Yeah that's possible, but pray that person joins our side because it's not necessary everyone involved in the war turns out to be a noble soul like us, some only fight for the wish of the Grail which won't be generated if the war is concluded by killing the initiator." Rin told.

"So that means apart from the initiator we may have other enemies too who would be interested only in killing others and winning the war so they can get their evil motives fulfilled." I acknowledged.

"Indeed. Today itself I was attacked by some strange man with supernatural powers, he would have succeeded in killing me if it was not for Saber to come and save me." Shirou stated.

Having Shirou mentioned Saber's name I realized how the topic of the war had got me so indulged into it that I had almost forgotten that I needed to talk to her which had been my primary concern when I had arrived at Rin's house.

" _I didn't expected this from you Saber, after all you are a servant of warrior class."_ Suddenly the words the white haired man had said earlier came to my mindand,

"So is Saber Shirou's servant?" I asked. Though I think I already knew the ans.

"Right, the war's magic connects the souls of the servant to the master, some of their powers too get shared between each other and because of this if either of them gets hurt the other too would get affected. Thus they both are bound to protect each other." Rin told.

"Oh, so that's how she came to know I was in trouble and came to save me. Though what benefit would the initiator have if the wish is going to be granted to the ones who win the war and not him?" Shirou's questioned.

"I am sure that through his black magic the initiator has control over one of the servant master pair he believes to be the most powerful of all and thus capable of winning the war. He must have known already that the war would choose the particular servant master pair owing to their capabilities and then once the war ends in their favour then owing to his control over them he would make the pair wish for something that he wants and not what they want. Though I must say that inspite of our efforts if the war finally comes to killing and winning situation then he is a fool to believe someone else could win when Goku is involved in it. He just doesn't know your powers yet. So atleast I am satisfied the battles going to end in our favour anyhow."Rin said eyeing Goku with pride.

"Hope it won't come to this Rin. You know well I don't want to kill or even hurt anyone innocent just to finish a war." I said.

"Yeah." Rin sighed.

"So if a pair from among the seven is unwillingly a party to the initiator through whom he wants to fulfil his wish, well that can be a way out for us. Why don't we try and find this pair and get them freed from his magic. Then they can help us in getting to him." I said trying to put two and two together.

"Sounds good Goku but again depends whether they would be of our opinion or not, I mean what if they turn out to be evil and all they would want would be finishing the war and fulfilling their own wish."

"What if they turn out to be good? You know what Rin, though we should consider all possibilities yet we should always think positive while proceeding in a task. And if what you are saying turns out to be true then we will force them in getting to the initiator so anyhow finding them doesn't seem fruitless to me after all."

"But how will you identify that which particular pair is the one involved with the initiator?" Shirou asked.

"Rin is a powerful Magus Shirou, through her crystals she can find whether a person is under someone's control or not." I told him.

"Oh." Shirou acknowledged.

"How do the ones involved in this war find each other?" he asked.

"The supernatural beings can always sense the other supernatural beings while the Maugus and Aurors use magic."

"Ok, just one last question Rin, how do you know all this?"

"Being a Magus I do know things about black magic. I read books related to it and history tells that this isn't the first time this war is happening. Earlier too three such wars had taken place. The bad thing was, those who were in humanity's favour, just like us tried to find alternatives to finishing the war without harming those who were innocent but failed and then unwillingly had to adopt killing each other to end the battle on time. The good thing was, each time the master servant pair that won the war was from the brighter side. And as I told the Grail cannot grant a wish for a good cause the winners of all the previous wars didn't wish for anything. But atleast their victory prevented the world from falling into the hands of darkness which would have happened if the war had ended in favour of the bad side."Rin replied.

A silence followed after this. Seeing no one had to say anything,

"Alright so our strategy is decided. Those who will support our point of view will join our side, those against us will be our enemies to be dealt with. We all should remember these 30 days are gonna be very harsh for everyone. You can be attacked anytime anywhere, cause all that the evil souls want is to kill others and win this war as Shirou already witnessed it today. So we have to be very careful." Rin concluded and next she turned to the white haired man,

"Here meet my servant Archer."

"Hello Archer." I greeted but when he didn't respond Rin cleared her throat and then he greeted me back with a Hello while exchanged a mere nod with Shirou.

Turning to Saber he said,

"Though you and I don't need any introductions. I can sense your power levels have increased quite a bit since the last time Saber."

"So have yours." Saber came back with a smile.

"You two know each other?" Rin asked bewildered. I and Shirou too were bothered by the same.

"We met at the world martial arts tournament three years back." Archer told.

"It was nice to meet you Rin, and you too Archer. And as everything's discussed and decided I think I and Shirou should leave now. Coming to it, Shirou I needed to tell you that I would be living with you for your safety and also to train you considering you are still an amateur as far as your powers are concerned." Saber said.

"Alright." Shirou said with a nod.

I was thinking that she was going to say something to me too but when she started for the door must I say it hurt so badly. If she hadn't forgotten we had agreed to be friends and I don't think that's how friends behaved when they met after a long time. Since my arrival she had hardly exchanged a word with me and now was just leaving like that.

"I think we need to talk Saber." I said, not being able to tolerate her ignorance anymore.

She halted in her steps,

"I am feeling very tired, need to go and take some rest Goku. And we are going to be in this mess together for 30 days to come; so I think you can hold your talk for some time later." She said, and even before I could respond she stepped out the door and taking few high jumps got out of sight carrying Shirou along.

I stood speechless and hurt.

 _Tired, needed to get some rest. What a lame excuse to avoid someone._

"Archer you may go." I heard Rin say from behind me.

"Goku." She called out approaching me and placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I think you told Saber was a polite one."

"Indeed she was." I said with a sigh.

"Something is wrong with her Rin. I will find out though." I said, my voice almost turning to a whisper.

"How did you come across her and Shirou anyway?" I asked.

"Today after I returned from college and was putting my bag at it's place my eyes coincidently fell on the mark on my hand. I was horrified out of my wit, because from what I knew it meant only one thing that I had become the part of a Grail war, and the realization that one has been initiated again, alone was unnerving. My first instinct was to talk to you about it when suddenly I felt a quite strong energy from somewhere nearby and then there was another energy too but this one was very feeble and was getting reduced. I knew what was up and so I rushed for the victim's help. I summoned my servant considering I may require some help. When Archer answered my summon by appearing at my side it was quite surprising for both of us to see each other again." At this she paused,

"Again?" I asked.

"Remember when I was out of town for one month during the holidays, learning magic at kiko temple in China; he too was a student there. We had developed quite a friendship then. When I had left the temple I never thought I would meet him again, that too like this, I being his master and he my servant."

"Oh, must say this is a small world."

Rin nodded at this and coming back to telling how she met Shirou and Saber she continued,

"I and archer followed the energies and ended up finding a wounded Shirou. Saber stood by his side. As I approached him I saw the mark on his hand, it was quite surprising to know he had been chosen a master in Grail war. Anyways, obvious I didn't knew Saber then but it was clear if Shirou was the master she was his servant. I healed his wound. Then suddenly I, Archer and Saber sensed a supernatural force nearby, we could feel that it was very powerful so much so that it could overpower us all and thus we ran and escaped to my house." Rin finished.

"Oh, so that's the entire tale. Well Rin, this being you are telling, who seemed so powerful, can it be that the initiator is controlling?"

"It's possible." She answered. Then we both were quite for a while, when Rin spoke up,

"Goku I am scared." taking my attention off from everything but onto her.

"Don't be, it would all be fine princess." I said pressing her hand lightly.

"Promise?" she perked up linking her little pinky with mine and snuggling her head to my chest.

I chuckled, and said yes before wrapping her up in my embrace.

"So is Archer too going to live with you till the war gets over with?" I asked placing my chin over her head as we stood holding onto each other.

"Yes." Rin replied.

"Well I will advise you to be careful then. Because he does seem a bit insane to me."

"Shut up, Archer is a very nice person; it's just that it takes him some time to open up to others." Rin said. I frowned.

"I think someone's just jealous." She teased.

In response I lifted her up playfully and swirled her round into the air making her laugh and giggle. When I put her back to the ground she just couldn't stop laughing for a while but when finally she did, she looked deep into my eyes, her face etched with emotions.

"What?" I asked.

"Stay with me tonight." She said.

"Ok." I agreed with a smile. It was though not the first time that it was happening, since ever Rin had this habit of calling me to stay up with her at night if she couldn't sleep. Such a baby she was. But I thought this time she actually needed me and so I was going to be there for her.

As I and Rin got under the covers in her bedroom she snuggled her face into my torso, holding onto me tightly with her hands.

"I love you." she mumbled,

"I love you too princess." I responded placing a kiss on her forehead, then it didn't take long before she was out snoring.

I sighed, once again events of the day came flashing back to my memory. How it all had come to this? I wondered. Saber's strange behaviour, the Grail war. Suddenly I was feeling very tired and my head dropped over Rin's as I was pulled into a deep slumber though not a peaceful one.

 **TBC...**

 **A/N: Hey guys! I know as usual I took a lot of time to update but finally I am up with the next chapter.**

 **Love you all for your support.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter-10: Learn Black Magic.**

 **Shirou's POV:**

"Wooohhhaaaaahhh!...Sa...Saber!" I was shouting at the top of my lungs, I was so scared of heights and by then the girl had made me jump over more than ten skyscrapers.

"What Shirou?" she asked landing us both on ground, I was thankful that she finally had responded to my pleadings.

"Saber, can't we just walk to my home? I am too scared of heights." I told her.

After studying me silently for a while she gave a nod and now as I led the path she followed.

"So how do you and Goku know each other?" I asked.

"We met at the world martial arts tournament." She replied.

She must have been to many tournaments as this was how she met that Archer guy too. I thought.

Once we reached my house, Saber barged in as soon as I opened the front door for her and headed for one of the rooms as if it wasn't a new but some place she was quite familiar with.

I too moved inside and followed her trial to find her checking the bed sheet lying on the floor. Owing to the fact that I had learnt so far, Saber was not a jolly kind of person and a serious demeanour still occupied her face yet the way she sat and hopped feebly on the bed made her look so adorable making me chuckle.

"I am going to take this room." She said eyeing me.

"Alright. As you wish." I said. Since I lived alone in the house I hadn't any problem with which room she chose.

"You can go now." She told me and thus I was suddenly reminded that without even realizing it I had been staring at her for a while. Being caught offguard I felt very awkward, so quickly bidding her goodnight I got into another room and out of her sight.

Blushing I slid down against the door releasing a sigh, my heart beating hard against my chest. I wondered how and why this girl inspired such foreign feelings in me.

"Strange." I thought. All the events of the day came rushing to my mind. My whole world has turned upside down just in a span of a day. The mere thought was making me feel more tired than ever and before my eyes drooped close I heartily wished it all to turn out to be a dream when I wake up in the morning, though it also meant Saber would be gone too, but I doubt if I wanted that to happen.

 **Goku's POV:**

"It's not working guys." I said with a defeated sigh, failing to summon my servant for up the nineteenth time.

I, Rin and Shirou had decided to figure out as to who all were involved in the war and among them who would be choosing our side and who all would turn out to be our enemies. So to start with, we three had chosen a secluded corner of the college library where I was trying to summon my servant but to no avail.

"Goku now I can say this servant of yours is for sure not on our side, I mean you had been trying for so long. I think your servant is someone with black magical powers through which he has come to know of our views as how we are against this war and it's ill effects. And since he must be a supporter of it he has already declared his rivalry against us by not answering your summons." Rin said.

"Wow, so we have already found an enemy that too my own servant." I acknowledged with disappointment.

"Or maybe we are thinking the wrong way. Maybe he could have been attacked by some servant or master thus he is hurt and isn't able to ans my summons." I suggested.

"Goku I told you that if a servant would be even a bit hurt the master will also feel it, as their souls are connected. But you haven't felt anything amiss, not even a small pain or anything which simply means he is fine and just not answering your summons." Rin said with a frown.

"So what now?" I asked her.

"Let's try finding others." she said taking out a shiny globe from her bag.

Placing it on the table she spread her hands over it and closed her eyes, her brow creased in concentration as I and Shirou watched the globe curiously.

Seconds changed to minutes and minutes to an hour, my and Shirou's hope had already long gone as Rin's globe kept showing nothing except some hazy black clouds. She finally dropped her hands in defeat and released a tired sigh.

"I give up!"

"It's not working. Seems all servant- master pair are way too strong in black magic than me, they have blocked the vibrations of their energies through their magical powers thus my magic isn't able to sense them. Now the only way left is, we wait for them to find us." She said.

"No Rin, we don't have that much time but only 30 days with us! We can't just sit and wait." I retorted.

"Goku I tried, ok. We don't have any other option." She retorted back, helplessly my eyes found the floor because she was right.

"The least we can do is, we should start working on our black magical powers. You two should know this war is more of a game of black magic than physical powers and thus if we want to win we have to improve our magical abilities."

"So you suggest we need to find someone who could teach us black arts or do you already know someone?" Shirou asked.

"I suggest no person can teach black arts better than books. I know some of the well known books on black magic, I would arrange for them and then the rest of the hard work to learn from them remains for us." Rin replied.

"Boy! If I would have known that I would be so much in need of black magical powers one day I would have start learning it long ago though it has never been my point of interest." I said with distaste, Rin and Shirou chuckled.

"Aaahhhhhh!"

Suddenly we heard screams. The little moment of merry was blown to airs as we rushed out of the library to know the cause and the sight that greeted us was beyond horrible.

The entire corridor was laden with students, blood oozing out of their mouth. A thick mist had surrounded the insides as well as outside of the college and the temperature had become too low within a matter of seconds. I, Rin and Shirou almost shivered with the chilling cold surrounding us.

Even through the layers of dense mist the piercing stare of the emotionless blue eyes was hard to miss as it neared us accompanied by a disturbing rattling sound of some steel armour.

I covered Shirou and Rin protectively. A lady like figure began to materialize as it neared us further. I could figure out that she held a sword and the armour that had been producing the sound hanged loosely around her body. She smiled at us menacingly. I quickly got into a fighting stance, but to my surprise instead of attacking us the woman pierced the sword into her neck from one side to the other and then winds started blowing so hard it was even difficult to keep one's eyes open. When the storm finally subsided, the mist was gone. Temperature was back to as it had been before and the lady had vanished.

"What just happened?" Shirou was asking, his horrified and shocked eyes still glued at the students lying in the corridor.

I rushed and began checking on them. A sense of relief washed over me as I could feel their pulse.

"Rin they are alive! Come on let's call some ambulances. They can be saved." I shouted with hope though my heart sank when she just shook her head in dismay.

"They are alive but won't be for too long. Their souls have been sucked out of them. The servants do this for becoming more and more powerful. Now no medical treatment can save them. Not even magic has a solution to save those whose souls have been sucked out." She said.

"You mean we can do nothing?" I asked, just to be sure I heard her right or to say I was just trying to find excuses because I couldn't bring myself to accept the bitter truth Rin was telling.

But whether I accepted it or not it was the truth anyway. I got up, balled my fists and hit them hard against the wall. I hadn't felt so helpless ever before. The war has only started and Infront of my eyes lay the soon to be dead bodies of my classmates and other students and I could do nothing! How worse could it all get. I screamed with resentment as I hit my fist again and again against the wall.

Suddenly Shirou ran away without an exchange of a word.

"Shirou!" Rin called out but he didn't stop.

"Let him be alone for sometime. You know how difficult it is for us to take this." I said, Rin nodded in understanding as a tear slid down her cheek.

"Their black magic is so powerful Goku, they can always find others but others can't find them, she was in college itself and yet I couldn't sense her. If only I could have sensed her when she would have been few meters away from college then we could have arranged something to save everyone. We could have saved them! We could have saved them!" she repeated as she bent down on the floor and wailed, her body shaking miserably.

"Rin it's not your fault!" I tried to soothe her as I went and wrapped her up in my embrace. Though it was quiet difficult to console her when I myself was so shaken up.

It was then when we heard sirens of vans.

I and Rin peeped out of the balcony to find a crowd of people gathered in the college ground. Police and media were making their way inside.

"The news that something amiss has occurred here has reached the people. We need to go now. You know we won't be able to ans them as to what happened here. They won't even believe us." Rin said.

I gave a nod and flew away from a classroom window taking Rin with me. I took her to her home.

Still the dried tears marred her face, as I put her down at her front door.

"You okay?" I enquired, though I knew well she was not.

She gave a feeble nod.

"I will be fine. Just need some time alone." She said.

"Alright. Take care." I said.

"You too take care." She said.

I nodded and was about to leave when she took hold of my hand,

"Goku we really need to be very fast. Today after what happened you must have come to know how important it is for us to become as good in black magic as possible. It's just the beginning. This bloody war is going to make us loose more. We have to outdo ourselves. All lives depend on us. I would surely arrange for the books till tomorrow and we will start our training then."

"Rin we will give our best." I assured her. We gave each other a final hug and then she went inside while I headed towards my home.

Generally I would always fly to places but at the moment I was feeling so nostalgic, so broken that I just didn't feel like flying so I took to walking.

When I reached the park that was along the way, I saw a young girl who looked around twelve or thirteen years of age. With those long golden hair and peculiar eyes almost the color of blood yet so enchanting she sure was one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen. She was feeding grains to some birds and it seemed from the lovely smile on her face that it gave her immense joy.

 _Poor kid, look how adorable and innocent she is. How horrible it would be if her soul gets sucked by some wicked servant._

As soon as the thought stuck me I went to her,

"Hey kiddo!" I called out, and so she turned, her eyes already the size of a saucer grew even bigger on seeing me. Though I couldn't understand why.

"You should not be out like this. You know it's not safe for kids to roam around as bad people are lurking around the streets. You can be in big trouble thus be inside your home, ok." I tired to scare her a bit so that she took my advice seriously. Though it can't be called scaring her because in a way it was simply the truth.

The girl looked merrily at me and smiled beamingly.

"Alright! Thanks for the advice mister." she chirped happily.

"Good kid." I said patting her head. Then after asking her to head straight to her home, I left.

Though I didn't know why the rest of the way home I had a feeling of being followed but when I turned back there was no one. Finally when I reached home I found shoes at the front porch which obviously didn't belonged to my sister.

 _Who had come to visit us?_ I wondered as I made my way to the drawing room to find the least expected person having tea with my sister.

"Saber!" I exclaimed with surprise as her sea-green eyes met mine.

 **TBC...**

 **A/N: Hey guys! Do Review. Pretty please!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: A Blatant Lie.**

"Look he is back." Sakura addressed to Saber and then turned to me,

"Your friend here has been waiting for you for long." She told and with that said she gathered the dishes and left while I stood eyeing Saber, she too never broke our eye contact. Owing to the way she had been avoiding me like a plague it was hard to digest that she actually had come to meet me. May be she had finally decided to open up and disclose as to what was up with her.

"Goku, I.." she began but paused, I noticed how her once neutral face suddenly became etched with so many emotions as I looked more deeply into her eyes.

But in a blink of eye those emotions vanished and I wondered whether they were actually there or I had just imagined it.

"I have decided that till the war ends I and Shirou would be staying with you, you know that way it would be easy for us to train as you can help us enhance our strength and I can help you with magic. It had already been discussed with Sakura that I can take the guest room while Shirou would be sharing room with you. " She said, and without even waiting for my response she got up and started heading to the door that lead to our lawn where the guest room was.

"Wait!" I called out before she could leave the room.

"Is that all you wanted say and are here for? Don't you think we need to talk about things?" I popped up as anger simmered inside me. While I was thinking that finally she had come up on her own to account for her strange behaviour since her return, here she was casually telling me of a decision she made and walking out on me just like that as if my opinion doesn't even count.

"What things?" she came back, her face as neutral as always and it only fuelled my anger further.

"What things you are asking! Well as if you haven't realized by now but Miss Saber I think the two of us had agreed to be good friends when you were back in hospital. But how you haven't talked or even greeted me properly and had been avoiding me cannot be regarded in the least as to how good friends behave with each other! Also when I had found your letter stating that you were gone to help your father I got worried and headed out in your search. And I think I did the right thing because otherwise I wouldn't have found that you had lied to me about your whereabouts." I was almost towering over her by the time I finished. All the while as I was ranting she simply eyed me taking everything in.

"Well, for one thing I did lie to you about my whereabouts because of my father. He doesn't want me to disclose to anyone our place of living cause as I had told you he strongly prefers a secluded life thus don't like visitors. He wouldn't have at all liked the idea of me befriending anyone or telling them of where we live." She said.

"So you could have told me about it earlier also, there was no need of lying." I retorted.

"I thought that you may find it rude if I refused to tell you of my place. So I made it up thinking you would never find out. I was simply trying to obey my father, but am sorry if you felt bad." She said, and then proceeded for the door.

Though she was taken by surprise when I halted her actions as holding her shoulders I turned her around.

"We are not done yet as my other question still remain unanswered." I said,

"What are you talking about?" She asked still pretending to be ignorant, though now her eyes couldn't leave the floor.

"You know well what I am talking about. Why are you ignoring me like this? Whenever it comes to me why you are always in such a hurry to be done away with matters and leave? You weren't like this when we met in the hospital. " my anger was gone now, I realised I couldn't stay mad at her for long that too when must I say it was the first time since we had met again, that she stood looking so vulnerable being trapped like that between me and the door. All I wanted from her was a truthful ans.

But then as if regaining her composure back she looked back at me with a sharp glare, the vulnerability gone and now a firm expression occupied her face as she spoke,

"Goku that wasn't me! I don't know what effect you had one me then that I behaved like that. Maybe I was overwhelmed by your strength because after all in so many years you were the only one who was able to defeat me otherwise I am not at all a social person. I don't make friends with anyone. So stop bothering me, it's not like I am ignoring you. It's just the way I am, has always been, a loner, a very reserved person and I like it this way." She said,

"A blatant lie." The words escaped my lips even before I had contemplated them. A hint of emotion appeared on her pretty face but as usual the very next moment she was able to mask it and before I could say anything else she turned the door knob and left.

"It's contrary to what you are telling Saber. The girl I met in the hospital was the real you, cause I could feel the genuinity in you then and what you are trying to be now or has always trying to be is a personality your own heart can't accept and you are just forcing it upon yourself. May be because of your father. But you know what, everyone has the right to live the way they like not the way someone other wants them to." I said to no one in particular as I stood leaning against the door, my voice almost a whisper.

 **A/N: So guys what you think of this encounter between Goku and Saber? There would be many more and obvious more romantic than this one, this is just the beginning!**

 **TBC...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: The Name Is Illyasviel Von Einzbern.**

 **GOKU'S POV:**

While I was still trying to digest Saber's strange behaviour and the fact that she actually was going to stay at my house Sakura disclosed me the news that Fujimura, my cousin, the most annoying and notorious women on earth was coming to visit us and she couldn't give any excuse and deny her as Fujimura was already in the city and would be reaching us within matter of an hour. And so, much to the chagrin of me and my sister by the evening the devil was at our house, it was an hour later after her arrival that Rin called me telling me that Saber had gone missing again and that Shirou had been searching for her. When I told her that she was at my house and about her decision to stay here during the war suddenly Rin too made up her mind to do the same thing stating that Saber's decision had actually given her the idea that if we all stayed at one place it would be more easy for us to train each other in the arts we were respectively good at. Indeed to me too the idea seemed appealing but the problem was Fujimura. Staying with her under one roof was quite a daunting task I and Sakura could tell from our past experiences. And it just happened exactly as we had imagined it, after Rin and Shirou arrived atleast for now Shirou and Saber were away from the mess as they were busy training in the guest room while Rin and I who were in the drawing room had become the victim of Fujimura's doings. No matter how much Rin tried to stop her, Fujimura won't stop examining her things which she doesn't want her to touch because they were precious magical objects which could be lost or could be harmful if handled by someone immature like my cousin. At present she had taken one of Rin's jewels while Rin chased her to give it back to her. My once calm house had now turned into a noisy hen's coop as the girls ran all over the house shouting and bickering, already giving me a throbbing headache.

"Give that back Fujimura!" Rin shouted,

"No I want this. It's too pretty. Can't you lend me one you miser witch! You have so many of these." Fujimura shouted back.

"It's not an accessory silly girl! Give it back, Goku do something, ask her to return it!" Rin turned to me, but since I already had it enough with Fujimura earlier I was in no position for more so I raised my hand in surrender giving Rin a sheepish smile which clearly said that she needed to deal with this one on her own.

"Very Well moron, I will make you pay for this!" Rin spat in anger before making a dash for Fujimura who started running and the chase continued once again.

"Guys please stop the hustle and come for dinner." Sakura shouted from the kitchen.

"Dinner you say?" Fujimaura for once stopped running and contemplated; now food was one thing she could give away the world for, the jewel slid away from her hand lying forgotten on the floor as she ran towards the kitchen. Rin picked it up placing it back to her jewel box.

"Boy, she is one of a kind." Rin sighed, relief evident in her voice that atleast she got her jewel back.

"Yeah." I agreed, but covered my mouth shut with hands as Rin returned me a furious glare.

"And you! Don't you say a word, you didn't even try to help me!" she yelled.

"Rin please understand I had been tolerating her for more than an hour even before you and Shirou came, and thus I needed a break, ok. Now chill. I'll go call Shirou and Saber for dinner." I said and started for the guest room making it an escape for me as Rin nowhere seemed to be calming down but ready to beat me up.

Once I was out in the garden,

"These girls!" I let out with distaste.

"Hope you aren't referring to me!" came Rin's unpleased voice from the drawing room, realizing it was a clear signal for me to run because an angry Rin could be quite dangerous, I made a mad dash for the guest room only stopping once I was inside. She sure had a good hearing, I thought panting against the door. I still was so wrapped up in my current situation that it took me a while to realize that Saber stood pointing a sword at Shirou who, well, looked dead!

"What!" I almost screamed. Well, ah, I know boys don't scream but c'mon it was a bloody murder!

"You killed him!" I shouted,

"Don't be ridiculous, why would I do that? I was training him how to block an attack and I hadn't even started properly when he fainted." Saber stated plainly.

"Oh, is that so." I reckoned suddenly feeling quite stupid.

"So you were here for?" she asked,

"The dinner is ready." I told her.

"Fine." She gave a nod and headed outside while I approached Shirou trying to wake him up.

Certainly Dinner too didn't go by as quiet as usual owing to Fujimura filling us up of the experiences of her travel.

Finally it was time for everyone to sleep. Before it was planned that Shirou would be sharing room with Saber but then he insisted to share my room and I agreed. Rin, Sakura and Fujimura were to share Sakura's room whereas Saber was to have the guest room as decided earlier.

 **Rin's POV:**

Fujimura was the first to get knocked out and now her snoring irritated me to no end, I had even tried inserting the pillow in her mouth but it didn't work. I placed my hands on my ears and pressed.

"Trying to block her snores, sorry to say you can't." Entering the room Sakura chuckled.

I sighed; she came and took a place beside me.

"So what's up Rin, you look sad?" she enquired.

I have known Sakura since I have known Goku, obvious as she was his sister. Sachi had always been a big sister not just for him but for me too and also one among the people I loved and cherished the most. She was a friend I felt so close to that I shared everything with her, things that I didn't share with my mother even. Few years ago she had figured on her own that I was irrevocably in love with Goku and when she questioned me about it , feeling no harm in telling her I had opened my heart to her and thus apart from me she was the only one who knew my biggest secret. She had always supported mine and Goku's friendship very strongly and was the one who often resolved the frequently occurring fights between the two of us.

"Nothing, do I look sad?" I asked,

"Yes, don't try and hide it from me. I know you so well, is something bothering you?" she asked,

My head bent low, I always start feeling quite overwhelmed when Sachi is being like this, so observant. Ofcourse she was right, I do had been feeling low for a while and I couldn't hide it from her, also it wasn't like I wanted to, but I just was at a loss of words.

"Is it because of Goku again? I am noticing that you are getting quite bothered with him caring about Saber. Don't tell me you are thinking Goku is growing to like her or something, I assure you it's his normal concern that he has for everyone." She said pressing my hand lightly.

"You yourself seem doubtful when you are saying that Sachi. Goku do care for others but the way he has grown to care for Saber I can see well, it's different. I sense a bond between them that he doesn't have with me even though we are together since we were kids." I said as my head sunk more, my eyes brimming with tears.

"Hey it's not like that Rin! And if you are so doubtful about it, why don't you tell him? I have been asking you to do it since so long."

"What if he says no?" the moment I said the words my hands flew to my face covering it, now the tears flowing freely.

"Rin stop crying, how can you jump to such conclusions even without trying! Haven't you noticed in so many years how much Goku cares for you and adores you? He gets so panicked up if you are in any trouble. It's just that he is too stupid when it comes to things like realizing his own feelings for someone but I assure you that if you disclose your feelings to him it will make him think along the lines and he won't ever deny you." Sakura said.

"You think so?"

"Yes. You should tell him." Sakura said, her eyes shining.

"Fine then, I think you are right. But I will let him know after this war gets over with, you see the time is not right for such things." I said.

"Yeah, Goku told me about the war and about what happened in your college today. I am sorry." Sakura sympathized stroking my shoulder. Suddenly her words brought back the flashes of the horrible incident that occurred today making my heart sink. I hugged her as a sob left my mouth.

"It will all be fine dear." She consoled, patting my hair.

Then there was a knock at the door,

"Come in." Sakura permitted.

I was quite surprised to see that it was Saber.

"I just couldn't sleep there. Was feeling kind of lonely so can I share the room too?" she asked.

"You don't seem to be the socializing type at all. Then how come you began feeling lonely all of a sudden. Up to something, aren't you?" I expressed my exact thoughts.

"Rin! Don't be so rude! It's alright Saber you can stay." Sakura said beaming at her.

"But Sachi!..." I tried to retort but she ignored it. On the other hand Saber had already laid her bedsheet on the floor and without a single word she was off to sleep.

Sure being sweet to others was one of the qualities why I or anyone else adored Sakura but when her concern got extended to even the undeserving people it irritated me like hell.

I laid down turning my back to her and tried to sleep.

"You're angry Rin?" Sakura whispered to me, still concerned about Saber's feeling getting hurt over my disapproval. As if my opinion did count for her(Saber), I thought sarcastically.

"Yes, very angry!" I yelled, loud enough for Saber to hear.

"Rin!" Sakura tried to shush me but I was no sweet buddy like her, I obviously was going to let Saber know how much I disliked her.

Suddenly a pillow hit me square in my back, I turned to find Sakura smiling cheekily at me. So she had chosen this way to change my mood?

"It isn't going to work Sachi, but obvious you are going to be paid for hitting me like that." I said aiming the pillow back at her but she dodged and now it went towards Saber who still ignoring everything else seemed to be trying hard to sleep.

But even before the pillow could hit her she bolted up and caught it in her hands.

It made me think though I hated to admit it; her reflex instincts sure were impressive.

Though I was expecting some argument but Saber simply handed back the pillow to Sakura and went back to sleep as if nothing happened.

Sakura frowned at me,

"You are just overreacting Rin. You shouldn't be so rude to anyone." she said,

"One thing I am making clear to you Sachi, I can't pretend." I replied plainly before I too lied down to sleep. I could sense her sighing and then getting up to switch off the light, as soon as darkness engulfed my eyes drooped closed.

 **Goku's pov:**

It had been quite a sleepless night for everyone thanks to Fujimura's horrible snores. And now on the Sunday morning, I was lying ideally on the sofa when,

"Goku can you go and get some veggies from the market? The stock is over."

came Sakura's voice.

"Sure." I replied, and headed out.

On my way when I came across the park I again saw the same kid from yesterday, playing there.

"Hey you!" I called out to her, her eyes got lighted up seeing me.

"I told you not to come here alone, it's not safe." I frowned at her.

"Will you play with me?" she asked happily, completely ignoring what I was telling her.

"What? No! I have many other works to do. And are you even listening? I am asking you something."

"Alright, I would obey you if you play with me." She beamed.

"Look I don't have time for that, I am sorry. But just try and understand that some bad things are lurking around that can harm you badly so atleast for one month try and be inside your home, okay?" I tried to explain her.

"No! Please, just for this once. Please!" She started pushing me towards a park bench.

"Hey, wha... what are you doing?" I yelled. By now she had made me sit on one of the benches.

"Count to ten and I will hide." She said smiling at me.

"You want me to play hide and seek?"

She nodded, I let out a sigh.

"I promise I won't come out here if you do it for me just once." She chirped.

"So you are one of those stubborn kids aren't you? Okay fine then but only one time."

"Okay!" She cheered,

"Now close your eyes." She said and so I did as I began the counting, feeling like a three year old.

Once I reached ten I opened my eyes, but to my surprise the girl was standing just infront of me.

"What? I think you were supposed to hide?" I questioned but all she did was smile back at me.

"Wow, you are so innocent." She said placing both her hands on my knees.

"What? Hey! Why are you talking to me like that?" I asked feeling quite suspicious about her.

"You are stuck!" she laughed lightly.

My eyes widened in horror though I couldn't completely get as to what she was referring to but ofcourse I knew by now that something had gone wrong. And the very next moment I realized what it was, because when I tried to get up I couldn't move!

"What! What the hell have you done to me? Who are you!" I asked.

"The name is Illyasviel Von Einzbern." She replied holding her fork and bowing.

Then my eyes caught the red mark of the shape of a skeleton head on her hand.

"So it meant that she was a...oh boy!"

 **TBC...**


	13. Chapter 13

_Till now: Then my eyes caught the red mark of the shape of a skull on her hand._

" _So it meant that she was a...oh boy!"_

 **Chapter 13-The Winter Castle.**

 **Rin's POV:**

"It's been too long; Goku should have returned by now." Sakura said making my hands hold the tea cup harder as I looked outside the window eyeing the thick mist, my heart shuddering with worry.

Then to the horror of us both Saber came stumbling into the room, her hands pressing her throat and she seemed to be in great agony. A very worried looking Shirou followed after.

"Saber! What happened to her?" Sakura asked worriedly as I and she eyed Shirou for answers.

"Everything was going fine, she had been training me when all of a sudden I don't know what happened, she started withering with pain. I got so worried and tried to help but she just pushed me away and came running here, I followed." Shirou replied in a shaking voice.

"Oh dear!" Sakura exclaimed as she went and lifted Saber in her lap stroking her hair.

"Rin please call our personal doctor, his number is there in my mobile." She said.

"I can sense it's not anything that can be handled by a doctor Sakura, it's something related to the supernatural." I told her, and her face dropped,

"Then what are we supposed to do?" she asked getting very anxious.

"It seems she is trying to tell us something." I said, as I examined her panicked expression more carefully.

"Shirou get some water!" I ordered.

Shirou quickly brought some in a glass, I did a healing spell on it and made Saber drink it, and it wasn't like she got completely well but now she seemed in lesser pain than before.

"It's, it's Go...Go...Goku." she said between gasps.

"What!" I, Shirou and Sakura exclaimed together.

"What about him?" I asked frantically.

"He is in trouble...I can sense it...I..am...experiencing the pain he is having. Someone... has done very powerful black magic on him." She again let out between gasps as it was that she was having quite a trouble in speaking.

"What! Two people can sense each other only when their souls are connected while you being Shirou's servant your soul is connected to him and not Goku. Then how come it's that you can sense him? What the hell is going on here!" I yelled with irritation,

"That's what bothering me too." Saber managed to say, her voice heavy.

Sakura and Shirou cringed at my outburst and looked puzzled. I took few deep breaths and tried to compose myself knowing that I couldn't lose it then and needed to act fast.

So leaving all logics and reasons behind as to how it was happening I just focused on what the circumstances required.

"Saber can you sense from where the vibrations are coming?" I enquired. She nodded,

"I think the earlier spell didn't do much. I need to perform a more powerful one to heal you better." I said as I performed another healing spell on her this time with one of my magical gems. When I was done, she sat up eyeing me.

"Feeling better?" I asked.

"Yeah. Much better, atleast I think I can walk now." She replied, but screeched with pain when she tried to make a move.

Both Shirou and Sakura jumped in for her aid.

"Stop! I can do it." She said with a raise of hand to halt them as she tried and got on her feet.

"Can you take us to him?" I asked.

"Yes, I can very well sense from where the energy vibrations are coming. Follow me." She replied and without any further delay she started towards the outside entrance of the house. Before following her, I and Shirou turned to Sakura who looked very sad and distraught. I took her hands in mine,

"It will all be fine." I tried to assure her, though the irony was I myself wasn't sure of the words of consolation I was giving her.

"Just take care of Saber, Shirou and yourself. Hope to see you all back with Goku well and fine."She said with a sob.

"Yeah." I patted her hands. Then after wishing our goodbyes, I and Shirou headed after Saber.

Saber still was having a great difficulty in walking but somehow she was managing it.

"Hey, why are we walking like this? I have a better idea, I can summon Archer and he would be able to carry the three of us." Though Saber and Shirou didn't say anything but their expression said that they agreed and so I summoned my servant.

He showed up quickly, coming out of the red circle that formed around me.

"Rin, you summoned me, is everything ok? Are you alright? " he started fussing.

"Archer I am perfectly fine, it's just that Goku..." but before I could complete he interrupted,

"Oh that spiky haired guy? And I got worried thinking if something went wrong with you." He said casually all his concern gone. I so wanted to punch him badly in the gut!

"Listen this is not the time to discuss your childish grudges that you have for him. For now just carry me, Saber and Shirou to where Saber is leading." I said.

"That's nothing big. Saber could have done that too..." he paused now eyeing the blonde girl.

"Hey but wait she looks as if ill...has something happened to you Saber?" he asked examining her.

"Just now just carry us Archer, I'll tell you everything but for now we need to hurry." I said.

"Alright fine, seems quite a serious business." he sighed and then immediately got to work lifting me and Shirou up from our backs and I held Saber from her back. I know it was so awkward, four people holding onto each other like that but we had to bear with it.

On the way as he went taking high jumps over the buildings I filled him up with the matter at hand. Obvious he too was surprised knowing that Saber could sense Goku and could even experience the pain she said he was having.

With Archer's remarkable speed within minutes we had crossed the entire city and had now reached it's outskirts surrounded with the forbidden forest. As Saber's directions made Archer head towards a building that looked like those huge castles of the ancient times, situated in the midst of the woods,

"The Winter Castle!" I exclaimed.

"What? Winter Castle?" Shirou enquired.

"I am just guessing that this is the infamous legendry winter castle because it quite matches the description of the huge castle of the forbidden forest that stories from the ancient say had been the reason why no one ever came back if they once went in the forbidden forest." I told, and could hear Shirou gulp.

"I never thought I would be witnessing it with my own eyes." I said with awe when Archer landed us all infront of the enormous door; it now looked even more gigantic.

"You're sure this is where the vibrations are coming from?" I asked just to confirm and Saber nodded.

A sudden chill passed over all of us.

"Do you feel that?" I gasped; my hands were beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

"It's the same energy, the one we had witnessed the evening Saber saved Shirou from Lancer." Said Archer putting my terrifying realization into words.

"It can only be called our utter badluck that a danger has presented itself again just a day after we first escaped it and thus when we still aren't prepared for it at all. But this time we can't back out as we have to help Goku out. We have to take the risk." I said with determination and gave a knock at the castle door using the handle provided.

The door opened immediately and strangely on it's own.


	14. Chapter 14

Till now: _"It can only be called our utter badluck that a danger has presented itself again just a day after we first escaped it and thus when we still aren't prepared for it at all. But this time we can't back out as we have to help Goku out. We have to take the risk." I said with determination and gave a knock at the castle door using the handle provided._

 _The door opened immediately and strangely on it's own._

 **Chapter 14-"Indeed An Enchantress."**

"That's creepy." Shirou shuddered.

I and Saber quickly went inside, Shirou and Archer seemed a bit hesitant but followed.

Contrary to what I was expecting, cobwebs, dust, darkness, the castle was as beautiful from inside as it was from the outside. Surely I had the impression that a castle in the midst of forest infamous for disappearances of people could only be inhabited by some evil creature though I had to say the creature was quite a decorator. A grand chandelier hanged from the domed shaped roof. Staircases covered in red carpet lead to rooms in the upper corridor.

"The vibrations have become very powerful now, he is very close." Saber said.

"Okay, then let's check upstairs, he must be in one of the rooms." I said and started heading on the staircases when,

"That's not right! You shouldn't just barge in like that without any greetings." Came a girl's voice, halting my steps. I and everyone else turned to find that a very young girl who looked around thirteen years of age, stood smiling at us.

Now from where had she popped up? She wasn't there when we came in. My eyes quickly fell on the skull shaped mark on her hand. Another Master, but a kid? Seriously?

Though there was something about her that said that though young, she wasn't a one to be considered a weak enemy.

"An enchantress." Archer acknowledged, his face completely serene and gaze fixed at the girl.

"Very well stranger. I indeed am an enchantress. The name is Illyasviel Von Einzbern **.** " she said holding her fork to the side and taking a bow.

"Stop trying being so innocent! We know you have our friend prisoned here because if you weren't involved with it you wouldn't have been here in this castle from where this girl," I said pointing towards Saber, "has felt his vibrations coming and he is hurt!" I yelled.

"I ain't trying to play innocent or anything, an introduction do is necessary when you meet new people, isn't it?" she giggled.

God she was so annoying!

"And about the prisoner here, are you are talking of that guy with black spiky hair? He is so adorable!" she chirped up and spun around with glee on one foot.

I so wanted to smack her now when I heard Archer chuckle beside me,

"How so perfect! That Goku of yours sure would look good paired up with an obsessed kid!"

His chuckle now became a giddy laugh, and for that he was served well by me and was soon supporting a huge bump on his head for being a jerk. What he and Goku had against each other, I didn't understand. Since they met I have observed they had this strange disliking for each other, but why? I wondered. But it was not the time to ponder over such things,

"Where have you hidden Goku! We have come to take him back!" I shouted.

"You won't ever be able to take him away from me, he is mine!" She said, a hint of an evil smile evident on her face.

"I suppose you know by now that he is among the chosen ones of the Grail war and if not everyone involved in the war gets killed till only one pair remains then the war's curse would end up in destroying the entire world along with your oh so sweet dream of keeping him forever as your toy! You stupid kid!" I yelled,

"I do have my own ways to handle that." She replied plainly.

My brow arched as I wondered what was she planning to do? Had she found some way to avoid the war's curse even if masters and servants other than the winning pair remained? If it was so then that was what we needed!

Suddenly my train of thoughts got interrupted as I heard the girl shout,

"Beserker!"

My eyes closed in utter horror, my heart sinking into my stomach as now was the time to face what we had been dreading so far.

A humongous figure erupted from the violet coloured circle that formed around Illiya and jumped infront of me.

"Rin!" Archer quickly came to my defence.

"Go get Goku out! Till then I will try and stop him." He said.

"Archer I won't leave you alone fighting that monster! Saber and Shirou will go find Goku, I'll stay with you. " I said.

"No Rin..." Archer began but before he could continue the giant landed a fatal blow towards him with his huge mace, he merely dodged it and tuned to me,

"Rin go! Your magical power would be needed to free Goku, as Saber said he is under strong black magic. I won't be able to hold Beserker long thus we have very less time." He managed to say blocking and dodging further attacks that came his way.

I knew he was right and thus though not wanting to leave him I turned at once and headed upstairs,

"C'mon guys!" I signalled, Saber and Shirou immediately followed.

"Beserker stop them!" Illiya ordered.


	15. Chapter 15

Till now: _"C'mon guys!" I signalled, Saber and Shirou immediately followed._

" _Beserker stop them!" Illiya ordered._

 **Chapter 15- Beserker the Giant Servant.**

But none of us looked back as we ran towards the corridor at our full pace. The sound of blade striking, shooting arrows could be heard echoing all over the castle."

"Here!" Saber pointed to a door to her right as we reached the corridor.

All three of us barged in to find Goku! Finally we had found him!

I wanted to shout with joy but at the same time felt a pang at my heart seeing the condition he was in; ropes enchanted with black magic tied his hands to a chair. Dried blood covered the ropes, indicating he had struggled hard to break through. His head hung low, he was unconscious.

Anger rushed through my veins; sometime sure I was going to make Illiya pay for making my Goku suffer like that!

Approaching him we examined him more carefully.

"The Swathe curse." I and Saber contemplated at the same time.

"That's a very powerful one to break." Saber said.

"Don't tell me, someone as strong as Goku couldn't break through those." Shirou said pointing to the ropes.

"Shut up idiot! It's just that Goku's lack of magical power is proving his greatest weakness, if only he could break through the spells then there's no way anyone stands a chance against him." I snapped.

Saber had already started focusing on riding Goku of the spell. Her right hand touched his shoulder, as she closed her eyes and her brow creased in concentration.

As I too was about to join her,

"Not that easy." Illiya's voice interrupted me.

Not her again!

"I must say your servant really is quite determined, using every ounce of his powers and skills in keeping Berserker occupied so to buy you all sometime to free your friend. But that won't last for long. He is no match for Beserker. Alas!" she frowned in mockery.

"Well atleast, till he is busy there I can have my fun with you all." She said with an evil smile.

I looked at Saber who hadn't buzzed at whatever was now going on around her and was simply concentrating hard on breaking the spell.

I too had wanted to help her but someone needed to deal with Illiya, right.

"C'mon. Let's see what you have got!" I said getting ready for the action.

"You wish!" Illiya smiled, as she raised her hand the same time I did.

I fired the Dolor spell at her while she charged with Vulnere spell.

The red and the violet magical spheres emerged from our respective hands and collided, each trying to overpower the other.

Behind me I heard Saber asking for Shirou's help.

"Shirou give me your hand." She was saying.

"But I don't know any magic or anything." He blabbered.

"I know how to channel your energy into what I want, for now just give me your hand and leave the rest to me. This curse is too strong for me to break without an aid." She explained.

Few minutes passed, the battle between me and Illiya was at it's peak. My earlier intuition about her came out to be true; though young her magical power was incredible. It was so challenging to put up with her. And just when it seemed quite difficult for me to hold on any longer I heard a yelp. Goku!

"It worked!" I heard Shirou shout.

"No! How did you!" Illiya busted out with anger and the shock that marred her face clearly stated that she hadn't at all expected that Saber and Shirou could break the spell. "That's why you should never judge your enemy any less, it might cost you bad." I said directing a smile of triumph at Illiya and I think it angered her to an extent that she got out of control, channelling such tremendous energy in her spell that it jerked me against the wall behind, leaving me badly wounded and exhausted.

"Rin!" Came Goku's cry of concern.

The very next moment I heard a bang and then barely acknowledged Illiya lying fainted at her spot before my eyes droop closed.

...

 **RIN'S POV:**

"Hey you okay, princess?" I heard the familiar voice of my best friend, when I opened my eyes Goku's handsome face was hovering infront of mine. I flushed at the sudden proximity between us but soon composed myself. Both Saber and Shirou seem to have noticed my awkwardness expect the idiot who was causing it. Though this was one of the things that made me love him so much, he always was so innocent!

"What happened? How much time has passed?" I enquired.

"Not much." Goku told.

"You knocked her out, right?" I confirmed eyeing the unconscious form of Illiya. Goku nodded.

"The moment I gained consciousness the first thing I witnessed was you involved in an intense fight with that kid. I couldn't take it when her spell thrashed you so wounded and hurt, thus I just fired her off with an energy ball." He told.

"Thanks buddy. I feel alright now."

"You should thank Saber too, she was the one to revive you back through one of your healing gem." Goku said.

No way! Even if she did me a favour, I didn't felt any grateful towards her. Yeah fine, it was so rude of me. But even after Sakura's assurance that Goku had no romantic feelings for her I wasn't able to shake off the insecurity I felt of losing him to her, the reason I couldn't bring myself not to hate her. And yeah, again that was so selfish and childish of me but Goku was that one person in my life, I couldn't bear someone coming between the both of us and if they did, they would have my hatred to bear with. Thank you very much.

Though, I thought with bitterness that for Goku, for once I had to go against my will and thank her.

But as I was about to give away the little word of gratitude she just reduced me all the trouble by changing the topic altogether.

"Such formalities are not needed, let's just come to the task at hand. I was thinking of what has to be done with her." She said pointing to Illiya.

"We need to take her with us." I said.

"What! Why? She's obvious not on our side. We should just finish her off." Saber opined.

"No, remember when she was talking of keeping Goku forever with her and when I reminded her of the curse, she said she would manage it. Thus I think she knows something that could be useful to us, a way to avoid the war curse even if more than one participant remains!" I said.

"Really?" Then obvious we can't kill her. She knows something very valuable we can't afford to lose." Goku agreed.

"Well, but how can you be so sure that she would disclose to us what she knows?" Shirou questioned.

"Ofcourse we will make her." I exclaimed.

"Just look at her, she is so vulnerable like this, lying unconscious, totally unaware of her surroundings. No magic is protecting her anymore and thus using my magic I can take full control of her body and mind." I explained further and then,

"Ahhh!" I cried as all of a sudden a wave of excruciating pain shook my whole body.

"Rin!" Goku exclaimed, Saber and Shirou too got concerned.

"Archer! It's him. I almost forget! How could I? He's still fighting that beast!" I fussed clutching my head.

"Beserker must have sensed by now that Illiya isn't okay and thus would be getting mad to reach her while Archer would not be letting him do so thus he is hurting Archer badly so as to get rid of him and get to Illiya as soon as possible." I was almost blabbering.

"What? Archer's fighting someone? Then we must go help him!" Goku exclaimed.

"No Goku, helping Archer is no solution here. Beserker has such magical powers; none of us would be able to match. Thus the only way out is to flee. Let me summon Archer and then we will do just that." I told.

And thus when I summoned Archer he quickly answered appearing through the red circle formed around me. Blood covered his entire body, he was so badly wounded just looking at him was a horrible sight. Now that explained why such pain surged through me, after all we both were connected. Though I realized that I still wasn't inflicted with full intensity of the pain Archer was having, cause if I had been then seeing Archer's condition I could tell I wouldn't have been able to stand even, the healing spell Saber had done on me seemed to be protecting me. It gave me the chills thinking how it was for Archer to tolerate the whole of such unbearable pain only some part of which was making me feel like my whole body getting ripped apart.

I could hear the thumps of heavy legs ascending the stairs.

"So you got him, that's good. But we must hurry now, Berserker is coming." Archer managed to say between pants.

"Sure buddy, you are in great need of a healing spell but first we need to get somewhere safe, away from that beast!" I exclaimed.

"Goku, now only you are in a condition to do something, carry us all away from here." I said.

I knew that at this remark and the way he began eyeing a very unwell looking Saber, the thought as to what was up with her sure would have stuck Goku's mind but sensing the need of the situation he let the question rest for the while.

"Fine. Hold on to each other." He instructed. Taking his cue I asked Shriou to get Illiya and then we all held onto each other forming a chain.

Goku took a dive outside from the castle's window but like we had expected we didn't get to fill our lungs with the breath of freedom and relief but instead faced the mud direct in our faces as we all very disgracefully fell and landed into a heap on the rough ground.

"Aaaah!" Archer cried.

"Oomph!" Saber exclaimed.

"Get off me, Moron!" now that was me.

"Ouch! Boy that hurts!" Shirou exclaimed rubbing his arm.

"Goku, what the!" I yelled.

He was blinking like an idiot.

"I don't know." Was all he replied scratching the back of his head.

"I think though the curse has broken away from him it's after-effect still persists and it will take time to wear off completely, till then Goku won't be able to use some of his abilities." Saber said.

"What!" everyone yelled in disappointment.

"Hey but wait, I can use my Nimbus!" Goku popped up.

"What's that?" Saber asked.

"His flying cloud." I replied, hope simmering up in my eyes.

Goku closed his eyes and concentrated for a second,

"Even this is not working; I am not able to contact Nimbus. Seems my telepathy skills also won't be working for sometime." He said frowning.

"Great!" I snapped sarcastically.

"That means we have to rely on running then." Shirou pointed the obvious.

Now the thumps of huge legs could be heard from the castle's room we were earlier in.

"Then what are we waiting for, before we become the victim of a giant's wrath let's do it." I said taking Archer's hand and making him stand up along with me.


	16. Chapter 16

Till now: _Now the thumps of huge legs could be heard from the castle's room we were earlier in._

" _Then what are we waiting for, before we become the victim of a giant's wrath let's do it." I said taking Archer's hand and making him stand up along with me._

 **Chapter 16- The Magical Connection Ball.**

After running for long through the forest we spotted a light at some distance and decided to reach there in hope of finding a better and much secure refuge. Though running was so difficult when every part of my body screamed with ache and I also had to carry the weight of Archer on my side who barely was able to keep his legs moving.

"Archer, buddy, don't worry. Just a little more, we can do this." I said passing him a tired smile of assurance, knowing that I had to be strong for him, that he needed the words of consolation more than I did as he was in much intense pain than me. He had fought so bravely for us; I couldn't explain how proud I was of him.

Goku's Pov:

With Saber's slow pace and me trying to be with her just in case if she needed some help we both were the last while Rin with Archer and Shirou with Illiya on his back, were ahead of us. I had asked her how she got rendered so weak and fragile. Did she too fight someone? But she just dismissed my concern saying it was a long story that she would explain later. I had also suggested that like Archer and Rin we both could run together while I would support her, that way we could be faster but she denied. I couldn't get what her problem was?

Suddenly Saber's foot hit against a thick tree root and she fell.

"Ouch!" she cried.

"Saber!" I panicked.

"Don't worry I am fine." She said and tried to get up but couldn't, I had been noticing that her condition had been growing worse every minute, and yet she was being like this!

"No you aren't Miss!" I said, no more wanting to put up with her childish stubbornness.

"Wha! What the hell are you trying to do! Put me down this instance!" she yelled as I picked her up in my lap bridal style.

She threw her hands and legs in all directions fighting against me,

"Put me down Goku!" she struggled against my grip.

" Shutup!" I snapped before tightening my grip on her so that she kept still and then took a run ahead.

She did try to get out of my hold for few more minutes but then stopped, and to my surprise she even tightened her grip around my shoulders and hugged me firmly. I was glad she finally realised that she was in great need of assistance and had decided to give herself a break. Though one thing I had come to know of sure was that Saber was a very stubborn girl and if her condition had made her so miserable that she willingly accepted my help which she had been denying so far I couldn't imagine how much she must be hurting.

Stupid girl she won't even tell me what was causing her all this. What had happened when I had been unconscious? I could feel my nerves bursting with worry.

As we neared the light we found that it was a wretched old hut.

Entering it we found an old bed with no sheets, rest it was all empty except for the dozens of cobwebs that seemed to engulf the entire room and the bulb that hanged from a broken lamp and had been the source of light leading us.

"Yuck!" Rin exclaimed.

"Seems it's abandoned since years. Though I wonder how the bulb still working." She said scrunching her nose in disgust at all the dirt and filth.

"So what next?" I asked,

Rin didn't ans but simply moved to make Archer sit against the front wall. He immediately fainted as soon as his back was well rested against the construction.

"Seems he had been holding quite hard just to reach here." I thought.

I was then reminded what Rin had said earlier that he had fought someone named Beserker, must be Illiya's servant. I concluded. Archer's wounds told the tale that dealing with Beserker had been quite a hard business for him. I didn't like him all that much, because he seemed somewhat a bit rude to me but I was grateful to him for he had aided us at the cost of his life.

"You would be fine Archer. I promise." Rin whispered to his serene form before she came to the wooden bed and projected her arm forward, a gust of wind emerged from her palm blowing away all the dust off the material.

"Place her here." She said turning to me.

I did as directed, by now Saber too had fainted .

"Rin will you explain me what the hell had been going on!

I mean just look at her, she doesn't has any physical injuries but I can sense well that her energy level, it's diminishing every second, she has fainted even!" I exclaimed. I couldn't put into words how perplexed I was at the moment.

"First you tell me how you got stuck with Illiya?" Rin questioned.

"Well, I met her in our town's park, she seemed a normal kid to me and I didn't want her to fall victim to some evil servant thus I tried to warn her of the possible dangers but found that she herself was a master, though it was too late till the realization hit me. She paralysed my body using some kind of magic and then I don't know when I fell into a deep slumber only to wake up and find myself in that dark room of the castle tied to a chair. The ropes around my hands though looked quite ordinary but when I tried to break through them even the tiniest motion of my hands against the fibre started cutting through my skin causing intense unbearable pain, I witnessed that the blood coming out of my wounds turned black. And before I could struggle further I started feeling sleepy again and no matter how hard I tried to stay awake I again fainted." I told her.

"Goku, you should have been careful. Till this war doesn't get over with, you shouldn't trust any stranger!" Rin reprimanded.

"Hey I am sorry, ok. I would be very careful from next time. Also I didn't suspect her as she was just a kid and looked quite innocent." I said.

"Right, but do remember from now not to judge anyone from their age or looks." She reiterated.

"Obvious after this incident I won't." I nodded.

Then though I hadn't expected it coming but suddenly the situation grew a bit sensitive when Rin approached and hugged me.

"We got so worried. I was so worried for you." She mumbled embedding her head in my jacket.

"Hey, it's alright Rin. I am ok. Thanks to you all." I said returning her warm gesture. I nodded at Shirou expressing my gratitude to him, rest of the two were not in the condition to notice anything.

"You can count on me pal!" he said with a smile.

"So how did you all find me anyway?" I asked.

"You would be very surprised to know that Saber somehow can sense and feel you, just the way a servant and master can sense each other. Today's morning she started feeling the ill-effects of the treatment meted out to you at Illiya's hands. My healing spell and gem helped to cure her a bit and then she lead us to you, feeling your vibrations." Rin told finally pulling away from me.

"What but how? You said that kind of connection only existed between a master and a servant!" I asked getting bewildered.

"I said I don't know, nor does Saber. No idea how it's happening but that's how we found you. Illiya's deadly curse that she did on you has affected her badly; the maximum my healing treatment could do was that it enabled her to stand and talk atleast and prevented her from fainting down. But it seems in order to break the spell on you, she had used all the energy left in her thus whatever little recovery she had made was gone too, leading her to the state she is now in. I am afraid if something isn't done quickly, her life might be in serious danger." Rin told.

"What! No! Rin there must be some way out!" Shirou yelled getting all worked up and concerned.

"Right!" I exclaimed agreeing with him.

"Tell me Rin how can we cure her? I would do anything." I pleaded, my heart shrinking with dread. I couldn't bear anything happening to her.

"That's what I have been trying to figure out for a while. One thing I have realized for sure is that my healing isn't sufficient to treat her then what else can we do, I wonder." Rin said, contemplating.

"One thing I can't understand is, if Saber and Goku do are connected by some unknown means and can feel each other's sufferings then why it is so that she has ended up hurt like that while Goku still is doing fine. Also I being his master and my soul being connected to her, I too should have become the victim of what she had been coping with, but I hadn't felt anything amiss with me and am perfectly ok. Just a little exhausted of all the running we have done."

I too nodded at Shirou's questioning because obvious the same things had been bothering me also.

"Well, I think, it's because if two people are connected it's true that one can feel what the other does but how it affects them depends completely on the individuals separately. Goku obvious is much stronger than Saber, therefore Illiya's curse didn't affect him to the extent it did affect her. The biggest plus point of magic is that it can control living beings, which supernatural powers can't do. Illiya caught Goku offguard in the park, and took advantage of the situation by developing full control over his mind and body through her magic and that's how she was able to paralyse him and later on caused him to faint. And now if the question arises in your mind that why didn't Saber fainted when Goku did then it was because by then my healing charm was protecting her. Though after she used whatsoever energy left in her in freeing Goku from Illiya's magic it seems her already injured body was harmed to an extent that whatsoever little support the healing charm was providing her, too couldn't make her go any further." Rin explained.

"And as far as it is concerned as to why Shirou being Saber's master hasn't felt anything, there can only be one explanation to it and that is, you sure are a ChiMagus. A ChiMagus is a magical being having an additional feature to that of a normal magus, which is a protecting mechanism inside them. This mechanism tries everything possible in its reach to keep you away from dangers. There's a two way connection between a master and a servant, one from the master to the servant and the other in the reverse order. So if the master happens to be a ChiMagus like in your case then when Saber gets hurt the mechanism would break the connection from her to you as a result you would be prevented from experiencing what she does but the connection from you to her remains thus you would be able to summon her and she still would be able to feel it if you get hurt and would bear your share of pain and suffering."

"What! A ChiMagus!" Shirou exclaimed as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard of.

"But if my mechanism is going to break the connection between us then I won't be able to sense and help her if she's away and falls in some danger or gets hurts." he fussed about.

"Don't worry about that, now we know that if something happens to her Goku would sense it and then she can be helped." Rin said.

"Yeah but..." Shirou began, but then paused; contemplating deeply.

"Rin, why was Illiya able to control me earlier but when I attacked her in the castle room, she was knocked out just in one go?" I asked.

"I told you that when she had found you in the park you were totally unguarded and unaware that she could turn out to be a master, you weren't alert or ready for anything amiss thus she was able to overpower you through her black magic but in the castle room when you gained consciousness Saber had freed you from her curse and that at that time her entire magical energy was focussed on me, thus you were easily able to knock her off. You see these magical beings, all they have got is their black magic, which is in a way just a kind of cheat or dirty trick through which they can control even the mightiest of beings like you and overpower them but when it comes to using fair means or pure fighting they are nothing compared to your supernatural powers and physical strength Goku." She replied.

"By the way we don't have much time before Beserker finds us; he won't sit still now as we have brought Illiya with us. It's true that with his huge shape and body he can't take high jumps or run fast like us but even with his slow pace he would be able to reach us by morning because he can always sense where Illiya is. And it can get even uglier if that little nuisance gains consciousness before morning, because then she would summon Beserker, and the connection circle would teleport him here in no time. Thus we need to be in good shape to face him which we aren't. Also Saber and Archer need immediate recovery source or they will lose it." She said.

"But the healing spells aren't a permanent solution thus I had been thinking about it for a while and have figured a way out, as only Goku here is strong enough and obvious in much better state than us three thus through my magic I would be creating a magical connection ball. As the name suggests it is used to develop a connection among several people, I would be connecting Goku's soul to me, Saber and Archer. Remember the connection would be temporary and would last only for two hours because that's the maximum time a connection ball can provide. As soon as the connection gets established, Goku you will find yourself in completely different surroundings, it would seem like a dream but you would be actually interacting with our souls. Try finding us there; it entirely depends on the connection ball with whom it connects you first. At a time you would be able to connect to one person only. Once you find me or Saber or Archer, you will need to transfer part of your energy to us and don't worry about how you would do it as you will come to know that on your own then and there. Rest I am sure your energy would be more than enough to restore our energies and cure us three completely." She explained further.

"Yeah sure, I would be glad if I prove out to be of that sort of help to you all." I exclaimed.

"I just want to see you all fine once again." Shirou exclaimed with a hopeful smile.

I and Rin returned his warm gesture and nodded at him,

"Fine then let's began." Rin said taking out an orange coloured jewel from her skirt's pocket. Closing her eyes she began chanting some spell and the jewel slowly turned into powder. Then she dragged Archer and placed him in a sitting posture against the far end of the wooden bed.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"We all need to be close to each other for this magic to work. Now you lay down beside Saber and I will sit here beside Archer." She replied.

"What! No! You also can do that. I will take the place beside Archer. " I said blushing.

"Goku you don't understand! The connection ball has certain rules and regulations which says that if some people are to connect through it then first they need to be even in number and it is required so that pairs can be formed such that every pair involved has a connection between them. The ones with the respective connections need to hold each other's hands. So you see here, a connection exist between you and Saber, the other connection exists between me and Archer thus you need to hold Saber's hand and I would hold Archer's and it's possible only if you are beside her and I am beside him otherwise the magic won't work." She explained.

"You know what; Magic really has too many rules and regulations." I said with a pout.

"Now, now, it's not such a big deal, she won't bite!" Rin snapped at me.

Shirou just watched silently.

"Fine, fine, I am doing it." I said with a sigh, boy! It did seem a big deal for me. I could always lie down beside Rin, we had been such good buddies since long but with Saber, I mean we hadn't been proper friends even. Also there was this unknown reason I couldn't put a finger on but I just felt so shy and awkward.

Finally as I laid down beside Saber and held her hand Rin began spreading the powder all around the bed, later she got into the circle created taking her position beside Archer and again began chanting some spell. Soon her voice started to fade and I was pulled into a deep slumber.

 **TBC...**

 **Next Chapter -The Ultra Excalibur.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: The Ultra Excalibur.**

 **Goku's POV:**

When I woke up, clear blue sky lay stretched above me; I quickly sat up, and till where my eyes could see it was all a vast grassy landscape, bushes and trees flocked all around. A refreshing breeze swept across me.

 _How peaceful! Just like Rin had mentioned, a completely different surrounding...I could spend hours at such an enchanting place._ I Thought.

I started walking; a soothing silence prevailed all around. The chirping of birds, even the crispy noise made by my boots could be heard clearly.

Only a while after, a tall figure came to view. As I neared it I could make out a female figure, her back was turned towards me, she wore a plain red top and black skirt with black stockings, and those beautiful long dark hairs. I knew who it was,

"Rin!" I called out.

"Goku!" she turned around surprised and glad.

"So the connection chose me first to connect to you." She acknowledged with a smile.

"Am I interacting to your soul?" I asked.

"Yeah, the Connection Ball has provided this visual environment for us to interact. So let's start." She said.

Again just like she had told earlier that once inside this dream like place I myself would come to know as what to do next, it popped up in my mind on its own and I sat down closing my eyes. Rin too did the same. As I concentrated I was able to visualize a red coloured spiral shaped wave, I recognized it to be Rin's energy then there was another set of green spiral waves and that was my energy. I focused on joining the two waves and they started mingling finally mixing completely into each other and becoming a blinding wave of bright white light. My eyes snapped open and I found Rin staring back at me. She had a satisfactory smile on her face.

"It's done, thank you Goku." She said with a nod.

Even before I could give any response she vanished away into the thin air and the very next instant I found myself standing in what looked like a battle ground!

All around there were stones projecting out of the ground, swords lay half buried in the soil, here too it was complete silence though unlike the landscape obvious it didn't felt any soothing but gave a sense of dread.

I again started wandering thinking who I was going to meet this time, Archer or Saber. Soon I found the ans when I reached a spot where there were several gears lined up, as if a huge clock mechanism. And there in the v shaped groove of one of the gears stood Archer. His face bore the usual serene expression and his eyes were focussed in the empty space contemplating deeply.

When I called out to him, he looked very surprised on seeing me and obvious not pleased in the least.

He jumped and came down to where I had been standing.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he snapped.

I realized that since he had been unconscious when Rin came up with the idea thus he didn't know anything. Therefore though I didn't like his tone nonetheless I explained to him as to what was going on.

"Seriously? Rin wants to cure me using your energy, then I would prefer dying." He said with distaste.

"What the hell is your problem with me!" I yelled at him.

But the tyrant without giving any response vanished from sight and again the surroundings changed.

I was so fuming with anger that for a while I didn't even bother to notice where I was next but when a snowflake fell and settled itself in my hair; I got instantly distracted as I shook it off and looked around. This time it was a wintery landscape all covered in snow. So if Rin and Archer were done then it meant now only Saber remained. Again I started having this unexplainable fluttering feeling that I always had whenever I thought of meeting Saber or in the least anything about her. I didn't know why I always got so worked up when matters came to her. And it irritated me to no extent being unknown to my own feelings. Anyways I began searching for her.

It took much longer than Rin or Archer when I finally found her standing at the end of a high cliff. She wore the blue coloured armour, and what was that? A golden sword?

Her gaze was fixed at the clear sky above, determination glowing on her face as she stood holding the sword upside down against the cliff's surface.

She just looked so majestic, how could someone be so beautiful! I wondered awestruck; god, it felt like I could stare at her like that for my entire life.

And then as if it had become a tradition between the two of us even before I called her or anything she somehow seemed to sense me and our eyes met as she started looking in my direction, her eyebrow arched in confusion.

I approached her but couldn't bring myself to say anything yet.

"Goku what are you doing here?" finally she was the one to break the silence with the most expected question at the moment.

So I told her about the whole ordeal of the Connection Ball created by Rin. I had a nagging feeling that concerning her recent attitude towards me and how she was so reluctant to take my help earlier she too like Archer was going to reject the proposal but it took me by surprise when she took everything in with a calm and understanding demeanour.

"I see." She acknowledged when I finished.

"That's a good idea. I am ready." She said.

"Really?" I asked surprised.

"Why not?" she frowned.

"Yeah, yeah it's nothing. Alright then let's get started." I proposed, happy that she accepted it without any arguments.

But before starting the process I was curious to know about her sword and thus I asked her,

"Hey Saber, that sword..I haven't seen you with it anytime before?"

"It's Ultra Excalibur. I do not always carry it with me but I can materialize it whenever needed." She told.

"Excalibur! That's the same name as that of King Arthur's sword." I exclaimed.

"Not just the name but it's the same sword." She said simply.

"Don't tell me! History tells that no one found it after King Arthur's servant threw it in the lake of the Aurors as the dying King's last wish." I said bewildered.

"History isn't always right. Father gave me this sword as a gift when I had won my first Martial Arts tournament and he won't lie to me. He said he found it from the lake of Aurors." She told.

"That's great if it's true, having the real legendary sword of one of the mightiest kings ever in history, after hundreds of years of his death. And you said Ultra Excalibur, what does that signify?" I exclaimed.

"It's the advanced version of the Excalibur. But I can visualize it in this form only in my mind, to reach a level as strong as where I would be able to achieve and handle this form of my sword in reality would certainly require a year or more of practice. " Saber acknowledged eyeing her sword with pride.

"Why did you not use it when you were fighting me in the tournament?" I voiced the question that instantly came to my mind.

"Well, Excalibur is a very powerful weapon when it comes to magic, but, though I still haven't achieved it, I somehow know that even the Ultra Excalibur won't be much effective when it comes to super natural strengths and powers. Thus using it in it's normal form against an opponent as powerful as you obvious would have failed and also at the tournament I didn't want to involve any magic in the fight, I wanted it to be purely based on our physical strengths."

"Ohh." I acknowledged.

"One more thing, do you have any idea why this whole scenery keeps changing each time I get connected to a different person?" I asked.

"Yes, the Connection Ball sets the visuals based on the behaviour, personality of the person it's connecting you to." She replied.

 _Ok so now I got it that owing to Rin's charismatic personality her soul was represented by the striking landscape, on the other hand owing to Archer's aggressive personality it was a battle ground and as it is that speed plays an important role in archery those gears sure were to signify his relation to speed thus archery. And for Saber it chose this wintery landscape, beautiful but deadly at the same time, just like her!_

"So shall we start?" she reminded bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Oh yes, right." I agreed. I was feeling a little giddy at the moment as, though it hadn't been a very friendly but just a formal discussion about her sword and the Connection Ball yet since her return it was our first proper conversation with each other.

Then we both sat down and concentrated, again the entire process of mingling of waves into a bright white light got repeated with Saber too, only this time the set of waves from her side were purple coloured representing her energy.

Once the task got done with she too vanished away. This time my surroundings didn't change but I started to feel dizzy and it seemed as if I was being pulled into a deep hole. Soon it became pitch black and my senses were growing numb every second when a sweet feeble voice called my name.

"Goku, Goku,Goku..." it kept repeating, I knew the voice well, it was Saber.

Then my eyes opened and I found Saber lying beside and facing me, my arm lay across her. It dawned on me that the voice I had been hearing all along, she actually had been calling my name to wake me up. We kept staring at each other for a while and what was that, was she smiling at me? She looked so lovely and...wait...what?...noooooo!

I yelled in my mind and almost jumped away from the bed finally coming to my senses and realizing what a comprising position we both had been in. Saber too became flushed, getting up quickly she started fumbling with her collar. I didn't know whether she did that to hide her embarrassment or she actually had some problem with it, though the first reason seemed to fit better owing to her crimson face.

 _Why hadn't she objected at the first place and had waited for me to react? Infact she had seemed very comfortable just lying like that, so close to me. And that smile, had I imagined it or she actually had smiled at me then?_ I wondered still trying to calm down my racing heart.

"Glad you two woke up." Shirou said waving his hand infront of me, reminding me that others too were present. I had been so caught up in the situation that for a while I had almost forgotten that. Or to say being around Saber often caused me such madness. Anyways quickly composing myself I noticed that Rin sat with her hand spread over Illiya who still lay fainted. Rin seemed to be in deep meditation. What was she doing? I wondered. Through the hut's window which was nothing but a web covered small hole as the only opening that offered a view outside I could see that it was almost dawn. Finally my eyes fell on Archer who lay sleeping supporting him against the wall. And to my surprise he was completely healed, but he didn't execute the process with me like Rin and Saber then how?

I was about to voice my doubts to Shirou when suddenly Rin stood up,

"It's done." She acknowledged happily to herself and turned to Shirou, her eyes growing wide seeing me standing beside him. It seemed whatever she had been doing she had been so involved in it that she hadn't noticed by now that I and Saber had woken up.

"Goku, you are up!" she came and gave me a hug which I returned gladly.

"Yeah princess! So how you have been?" I enquired.

"As you can see, I am perfectly fine now! Just like I had thought it worked so well, your energy cured me completely." She said smiling at me.

"Well, will you explain what have you been doing with Illiya? And how did Archer recover? You know he didn't perform that healing process with me, he denied. Did you find some way to cure him using just your healing spells?"

"No, not the healing spells. Since my connection was broken with you the earliest I was the first one to wake up. The circle that I had created around all four of us, only that part of it starts shining that lies around those two people who have the connection going on between them at a particular time. For instance, after I woke up I found the portions of circle close to you and Archer were shining. So I figured out that after me you were connected to him. But when Saber's portion of circle began to shine and that of Archer's got diminished while he still lay fainted and hurt, I knew something went wrong. Thus I created a separate Connection Ball between him and me. On interacting with his soul I found what had happened between you and him. I was very angry at him for acting like that in such a do or die situation. But there was no time for arguments and I asked if it was ok if I cured him with my energy and he agreed. Since I had completely healed by then my energy was enough to cure him properly. When we two came out of our connection we found that you and Saber still hadn't woken up. So I took upon another important task and that was to develop control over Illiya while Archer took to resting. And thus that's what I had been working on since then and finally it's done. Illiyaville won't be able to move a limb till I didn't want her to." she said, her eyes shining.

"Oh I see. You are great Rin." I appreciated.

She beamed at me.

"But the only problem that remains is Beserker. It's morning already and he must be reaching us anytime now. How are we going to deal with him still remains to be figured out." She said frowning.

"I know what to do about that." Saber came up.

"What? But how?" Rin asked.

I and Shirou too got curious.

But even before she could ans that, loud thumps distracted our attention. Archer too woke up with a jolt.

"Think of the devil and the devil is here." Rin exclaimed.

"Now tell us what are you going to do?" Rin asked Saber, getting worried.

"There's no time to explain, but I assure you whatever it is, it's going to work." Saber replied with confidence before walking out the hut's door.

We all followed.

As we came outside we could see the humongous giant coming towards us. He gave a ferocious growl seeing us all.

Saber stretched her hands forward and closed her eyes concentrating onto something. A glow began to emit from her hands and when the shining subsided a magnificent golden sword lay grasped between her hands.

"The Ultra Excalibur!" I exclaimed.

 _But she said she hadn't achieved that form of her sword yet!_ I thought getting bewildered.

"Excalibur!" Rin, Shriou and Archer acknowledged getting surprised.

By then Beserker was quite close and he wasted no time in making his first assault as soon as he reached us. We all dodged the attack. Saber launched herself at him, taking a jump so high that she reached in level with his head. She aimed the tip of her sword towards his front body; I didn't get what she was trying to do just hanging like that in midair and pointing her sword at him from a distance.

"We got to help her, she's gonna die!" I yelled as I too was about to launch myself at Beserker.

"No wait!" Rin pulled me back.

"But Rin..." I argued.

"Sssh! Just wait and see." She told me.

 _What did she want me to see anyway? If Saber didn't act fast she was going to be in huge trouble._ I thought getting agitated.

But then I was taken aback when suddenly from nowhere a black layer materialized around Beserker and he looked shocked. The tip of Saber's sword lay embedded in it, making me realize that as I had contemplated it before it wasn't like she had been holding out her sword in empty air but she had stuck it in that layer that seemed to have been invisible before.

"Wow! She found his magical energy source!"Rin exclaimed from beside me.

Saber jolted down, dragging her sword along and thus creating a rift in the layer. When her feet finally touched the ground the layer got split into two and vanished.

Beserker clutched his head into his hands and cried out in agony.

"Great! She destroyed his source of magical powers!" Rin shouted happily. I, Archer and Shirou just watched awestruck.

"Goku, it's your chance now." Saber yelled turning to me.

Now completely getting her ploy I nodded at her and jumped into the battle.

 **Rin's POV:**

As Goku flew up to Berserker, I was glad that he was able to. The effect of the curse finally seemed to have worn off him. Berserker quickly composed himself seeing him approaching, he was burning with anger and agitation as he started firing his mace madly at Goku.

But the latter dodged all the attacks quite easily.

Beserker showered punches and blows at him but again he ducked each one of them with few mere moves of his muscles.

Then Goku served a punch at him which the beast tried to dodge but couldn't. The moment his fist hit the giant's gut he threw up a huge clot of blood, black blood. It was so disgusting!

"Amazing!" Shirou exclaimed, ogling his eyes out.

"Told you, without magic on their side these all mighty creatures aren't anything compared to Goku." I said with pride.

 _Archer and Saber though didn't say anything and watched silently, I knew they too were impressed with the Saiyan's incredible skills and powers. And who wouldn't be? After all, when it came to supernatural powers Goku was completely a Miracle!_ I thought with admiration.

The fight didn't went for long, just after few more of Goku's punches and kicks Beserker's body lay tattered in his blood and he could barely stand.

"Beserker!" a small and tortured voice called from behind.

I, Shirou, Saber and Archer turned to find a wretched Illiya crawling out of the hut. Her once perfectly pale body now was lined with gashes and wounds, signifying the effect of Beserker's current state on her. So finally she woke up.

"What did you do to my servant!" she exclaimed looking at a badly wounded Beserker making worthless efforts to fight Goku.

"What did you do to me!" she cried out.

I guessed she must have realized that her magic source was no more under her control.

"You cheated, I was unconscious and you took advantage of it!" she blabbered angrily.

"See who is talking of fair play, why didn't you think about it when you developed control over Goku catching him offguard in the park!" I snapped at her.

She jerked her face away with anguish.

All four of us turned our attention back to the fight leaving Illiya to her own misery.

A while later I sensed some movement beside me, I turned to find Illiya extending her hand towards Beserker.

So she still was trying to help her servant with magic, how foolish! I couldn't believe she yet had some hope left in her. So I decided to make it clear to her that now it was all futile. Owning to my control over her, with a sweep of my hand she was forced against her will to let her hand drop to the ground. She shuddered under my intensifying gaze and then started watching Beserker with helpless and disappointed eyes. For a moment I felt pity for her, after all she was only a kid but dismissed the thought immediately with the logic that at the same time she was our enemy too.

"Time to finish this off!" I heard Goku yell, and again I was completely distracted towards the fight.

"Kamehamehaaaaaa!"Goku yelled as a wave of blinding light emerged from his hands and covered Beserker.

I wondered that being his friend since so many years I had witnessed Goku doing that quite a several times yet I found it so incredible whenever he used the kamehameha wave then how it would have been for Shirou, Saber and Archer who were witnessing it for the first time. Even Saber and Archer couldn't hide it anymore, the shocked expressions etched on their faces told the story as to how amazed they were. And it was priceless!

When the effect of the blast caused by the wave died, in place of the humongous figure of Beserker there was a huge crater with black smoke emitting out of it.

I saw a single tear sliding down Illiya's eye.

"Beserker." She sobbed out in a feeble voice. Her right hand balled into fist as the skull mark disappeared from it. She fell down on the ground taking her last breaths. Obvious if Goku's attack had killed Beserker who was much more powerful than Illiya then for sure she doesn't had a chance of survival.

But she couldn't die yet, not before she let us know of the way to avoid the war's curse. Thus I rushed to her taking out my healing jewels. If only they could make her stay a bit longer I could force her to let out what we required from her.

Goku came down and landed beside me, watching me and Illiya.

I chanted all kinds of healing spell I knew and it seemed to be working as Illiya's eyes that had begun to close opened up again, she looked puzzled obvious wondering as to why I was trying to cure her.

"Tell me Illiya what you know about how to avoid the war's curse." I asked her sternly and realization dawned upon her face.

"No." She replied.

"So you won't obey! Then suffer!" through my magic and control over her I caused her muscles to twist and she started withering in pain.

"Now tell me, or when you already are dying I will make it harder for you." I threatened.

"Rin, go easy on her." Goku asked. He had always been like that, just like Sakura his kindness got extended to even the undeserving.

"You too know Goku that torturing her like this isn't giving me any pleasure, but if we aren't harsh with her she won't tell us." I said.

"Illiya tell us." Goku asked her, his eyes pleading and to my surprise Illiya's face softened as if they both exchanged some silent words of comfort.

"You all got it wrong." she started to speak,

"I don't know anything to avoid the war's curse. And when earlier I had said about managing the same even if Goku lives, I had meant this." Illiya raised her hand in air and a crystal ball materialized into it.

"A prison ball!" I exclaimed.

"What's that?" Goku asked.

"It's used to keep someone closed. Once a person gets trapped into it they won't ever be able to come out. Even your existence from this world would vanish. Now I get it, if Illiya were to put you in that, your presence from this world would have got erased. Thus you would have been out of the war without being killed." I explained.

"I see, then why not after eliminating those masters and servants who are against humanity we all go and be there in the ball. That way we won't have to kill each other." Shirou suggested excitedly.

"No Shirou." I sighed,

"This ball isn't some place for a human to live. It's a trap, a prison, living in it is even worse than death. It will cause you madness. Instead of being there its better we execute each other." I told him and his face fell.

"You really were going to put me in something that horrible!" Goku exclaimed.

Illiya gave him an apologetic smile.

"But that was the only way I could keep you without letting the war's curse destroy everyone. I am sorry." She sighed.

"And we thought you actually knew some way to avoid the curse!" I exclaimed disappointed.

But knowing that nothing could be done about it anymore,

"Fine then, seems we should head to home now." I suggested next.

"What about her?" Saber asked eyeing Illiya.

"She's still in pretty bad state. The wounds afflicted on her being from a warrior, like Goku, my healing spells couldn't do much but just made her to hang on a little longer. Thus if we leave her here, she herself would meet her fate soon." I replied.

"Right." Saber acknowledged.

"No! We won't leave her here for dying!" Goku came up. Oh no, his kindness again! I thought slapping my head with irritation.

"Goku!..." I began, but he shushed me.

"Tell me Illiya where are your parents?" he asked.

"They died when I was very young. Since then I was brought up in an orphanage. It wasn't a nice place. They didn't treat us well there. One day I escaped from there and met a group of bandits who robbed people for a living. There were five of us. Since always I knew that I was different from the normal humans, because there were signs like, if I got angry things around me started to shake. Sometimes just by thinking about something I could make it to happen. Thus owing to my special abilities and me being the youngest among them they had really come to care for me. But one day the police caught hold of the four, I escaped. I didn't find any company after that and was on my own. Then a few days back the skull appeared on my hand. I obvious couldn't figure out what it meant but when I was attacked by an assassin while roaming around a dark alley Beserker showed up and killed the assassin. Beserker explained me everything about the war. He taught me to realize and unleash the hidden power inside me in the right way and amazingly in the course of one day! The way he had eliminated the assassin I knew he was very powerful and I couldn't contain myself knowing I was his master. His powers seemed so incredible to me that I assumed no one would be able to turn him down. I started dreaming of ruling the world once I won the war with his help. Then I met you and instantly developed such a liking for you that I didn't want to lose you like all the people I had been losing in the past. I wished to keep you with me forever. Knowing of the war's curse I decided to put you in a prison ball but since it takes a lot of time to get prepared; till it was getting ready I took you to the castle which actually had been Beserker's home for long. I am so sorry; I really was blinded with greed." She began to weep.

"Now, now don't cry." Goku soothed her.

"Stop it Goku! She tried to kill us and wanted to put you in a prison ball! All of us have suffered so much just because of her and her servant! How could you be sympathising with her!" I yelled at him.

"The greed of power and other spoiling pleasures can blind even a mature man than she's just an immature kid who didn't get any proper upbringing like other children. She had lost her parents, then the only group she considered as friends. She hadn't been ever to a society where anyone taught the sense of right and wrong to her. Life had been harsh to her Rin, it's not completely her fault." Goku said.

"So what do you propose?" I asked him, knowing there was no point in arguing with him when he had decided upon something. Also I too after listening to Illiya's story was coming around the opinion that she should be given a second chance.

"We would take her with us." Goku replied.

"Fine. But what to do of her condition? My gems won't work and connection ball also isn't an option for her because the only being she had a connection with has died now." I stated.

"Hey! I can take her to that infirmary centre which the martial artist I had defeated long ago had shown me. There I have seen them curing even the worst of wounds, though it takes a lot of time but I hope she would be fine eventually." Goku said.

"As you wish." I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"But we have to hurry; she really has very less time. So whatever you want to do, do it fast." I told him.

Goku nodded and called out for Nimbus, soon a yellow cloud came floating to us.

"Get on everyone." He said as he mounted on it with Illiya.

"I am not going to use that! I will go on my own to wherever I want." Archer said.

"Rin you are coming with me?" he asked.

"No!" I denied.

"And you Mister! You aren't going anywhere but coming with us." I exclaimed and holding his ear I dragged him to the cloud. I was so fed up of putting up with his unwanted and unreasonable rudeness directed at Goku or things related to Goku.

Shirou chuckled.

Finally as we all got mounted, the cloud took off.

"Saber you said you hadn't achieved the Ultra Excalibur in actuality but could only visualize it in your mind then how come today you materialized it in its advanced form?" Goku asked.

"Well, after I had that curing process done with you through the connection ball not only I got cured but also all my powers and strength seemed to have gone several levels up. I really didn't know how it happened but I felt completely renewed and was quiet confident that with this new energy flowing through me I would be able to take my sword to the next level. Then just like I had thought it happened, I was able to materialize Ultra Excalibur. And as I had told you earlier that it's a very powerful weapon when it comes to magic, thus I knew it would destroy Beserker's source of magical power and then you could defeat him easily." Saber told.

"I can't believe this! It means the connection between you and Goku wasn't simply limited to healing. His energy wasn't used only in restoring yours but some of it got transferred to you, enhancing your power level. Though nothing of that sort occurred when he executed the process with me. I wonder what kind of connection you have with him. Also the question how this connection has come to exist between you two remains unanswered." I exclaimed.

"Leave it for now Rin, I am just glad that we finally made it out safe and sound." Shirou exclaimed happily. Obvious none of us could disagree with that.

When we reached Goku's house he dropped us all there while he himself went away to get Illiya to the infirmary centre.

 **At some other place in town...**

 **Author's POV:**

"Goku defeated one of the most powerful servants and it had been as easy for him as crushing a fly trapped between his fingers. I am afraid if we didn't act fast it could get quiet ugly for us." A lady who had her face covered in black veil and eyes focused on a crystal ball that showed Goku and his friends heading back to home on a cloud was saying this to someone who sat behind her on a large chair.

"Don't worry Rider, we'll deal with it." came the male's reply as he smiled evilly.

 **TBC...**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey guys I know as usual took me quiet long but here I am with the next chapter. Hope you like it and do review please!**

 **Chapter 18- Brand New Breeze**

 **Saber's POV:**

I didn't know why but I just couldn't sleep, so I took to walking in the outside garden when I heard some music coming from the eastern part of the house. I followed the tune; it was quite melodious and seemed very familiar though I could bet I had never heard it before. Climbing the stairs I reached the first floor corridor at the end of which I found Rin. She was standing leaning against the wall of the room the music was coming from. She looked pensive, so much so that she didn't even notice my presence thus I called out to her. As if being jerked out of a deep slumber her head snapped in my direction.

"What are you doing here Saber?" she asked, her voice plain and neutral, well that wasn't surprising as she always had been cold to me since we met. And I think it was because she thought Goku had a thing for me while she wanted him for herself. Yes, I knew she was in love with him. Considering her overwhelming affections for him it was but natural for anyone to figure that out, the stupid subject of her affections being an exception though. Many times I thought of giving her this piece of my mind that Goku didn't have any romantic feelings for me and thus she needed not to worry yet I never did so because generally I would dismiss the thought of Goku liking me considering it as me just over thinking about things but sometimes when I pondered over it seriously it does seem the other way out. As it was from the very first time when I had come to know of his visits to me at the hospital I had this nagging feeling that something was fishy. Not to mention all the incidences that have occurred recently, considering how he had hugged me when we met at Rin's house, it seemed he had back the most precious thing of his life that he had lost, and that day in the forest, how he had carried me in his arms so protectively when I was not well and the other morning when we woke up lying beside each other after the connection ball process, he looked so comfortable and had smiled at me, his eyes bearing such affection that though I feel so awkward admitting it but it had made my heart melt, well. So it did seem that may be he did have feelings for me which could be regarded as more than the once you have for a person whom you only consider a friend and nothing more. And did I mention this thought alone gave me this sinking feeling and I hated it.

"Saber?" Came Rin's voice as she eyed me with a questioning glance. I jerked out of my thoughts realizing I had zoned out and had yet to reply her.

So anyways composing myself quickly,

"I came here to enquire about who's in there playing this music at such an unearthly hour." I told her.

"It's Goku. It's already 1:30 a.m., 24 October, his birthday. And this is what he does on each of his birthdays. Lock himself up here coming out only for the daily necessary chorus, other than that he would remain inside till it's not 25th October." she told failing her arms up in dismay.

Well, while I was thinking it was going to require some efforts from my side to get her to talk, it seemed she was so off that she just wanted to spill her heart out even if to me, whom she seemed to find the most distasteful person in her life.

"Really! But why?" I enquired further.

She gave me a quick side glance and then continued,

"Because it was the very day he lost his parents. On his very first birthday something ominous occurred with the 'Wells' family. The neighbors complained of strange things happening and of the horrible weird noises coming from the house. But when the police arrived and enquired into the matter, they found the house empty. Objects lay scattered everywhere indicating signs of struggle but no resident of the family was found in the house. Later, on further searching and investigation they found the little toddler lay crying in the bushes deep in the forested area behind the house, but the parents were nowhere to be found. The authorities did whatever was in their reach but couldn't find the culprit or anything about the mystery behind the Wells' queer disappearance. After three years since no solid conclusions could be drawn the case file was shut on grounds of lack of proof. About Goku, after his parents were gone he was sent to 'Juvenile' orphanage where after three years he was adopted by Sakura Matou. The horrible incident still haunts him and he isn't over it." Rin told the tale with a heavy heart.

I did feel very sorry for Goku just like I had felt the very first time when he had told me in the hospital that he was adopted. Yet I couldn't help the numerous questions from arising in my mind that I wanted to ask but before I could, Rin began to speak again. And now she seemed more to be talking to herself than me.

"I want him to move on; I mean I am not asking him to forget whatever happened, nor that he can forget it, as it is that his parents will forever remain an important part of his life and he loves them. But it's just that, as we live with all the good in our life we have to bear and live with the bad ones too. You can't be upset over something for your entire life, no matter how disheartening the incidence was, life has to go on. Many times earlier I and Sakura had tried our best to pursue him celebrate this day instead of staying and suffering in this room all alone but finally we have to give up because he just won't listen. Sakura got so frustrated that she never tries anymore and says that sometimes it's just better to leave people alone, besides we had tried everything we could. And about me, well, this time it happened coincidently that I already am here at his home because of this war training and all, otherwise even when I am at my home, on the eve of his birthday I secretly sneak out and come here by this room knowing that he would be here playing his violin inside. If I can't get him to cheer up on this day the least I can do is be with him. So when already I am deprived of sleep on such nights knowing how much he would be hurting, I come and stand here bearing and feeling his pain along with him." She sighed.

At this point all thoughts put aside I could only admire Rin's overwhelming care and concern for Goku. I can't believe how that moron couldn't see how much she loved him.

Also Rin was right that burying the bad things of the past in back of his mind and keeping his parents as a good memory in his heart Goku should move on. He couldn't remain hurting himself over it for his entire life. And so I decided to help. I went ahead to give a knock at the door.

"What are you doing? I said it's not worth trying. He won't listen to anyone." Rin said.

But ignoring her I knocked anyways.

"What is it Saber?" came Goku's voice.

Both I and Rin were surprised. How did he know it was me? Was it due to the connection between us? He would have felt my energy vibrations.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

"If it's nothing so important Saber, then keep whatever it is to talk about later. For now I just want to be alone." Goku replied.

Now Rin had that "See I told you" expression on her face. Instantly I turned around and began to walk down the corridor.

"What? Done trying?" Rin taunted.

I didn't say anything as it was that she would know in a short while what I was upto. And obvious I wasn't giving up on pursuing Goku like she thought, not yet.

I went to Goku's room in the house; Shirou who had been sharing his room was sound asleep. I remembered when we had moved to Goku's, Shirou had bought with him his violin along with other things he regarded as necessary during the stay. Then I had intervened as to why was he even carrying it? As it was that we weren't going to enjoy some holidays but for some serious training. And yet Shirou brought it along anyway stating that the violin really helped him improve if his mood got quite off over things, so maybe he could use it sometime. Yet I wasn't convinced that it was an article worth to be taken along on some training sessions. But now that I come to think of it, it doesn't seemed to me that much of a bad idea after all.

I wondered where he must have kept it when my eyes fell on the wooden cupboard at my side. And call it my great luck because as I opened it the violin lay infront of me so I didn't had to search much. I picked up the violin at once and went outside in the garden. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath I positioned the instrument on my shoulder, the bow on its strings. My heart thudded loudly; I don't know why and how this idea had popped up in my mind but deep down somewhere I somehow knew that it was going to work. Thus with one last deep breath I began playing wishing things to work out as I wanted them to. It surprised even me when the tune came out. I had a feeling that I could play it but this good! I must say I had no idea. I was playing the same tune as Goku. I remember playing violin long time ago when I was a kid, but as I grew up learning martial arts became such a part of my life that other interests were forgotten. I had never thought I would be playing it again but now years after doing it gave me such pleasure that I almost regretted being cut off from it. The combined effect of my and Goku's violins was brilliant. Even after not being in touch with it I could play the violin as if I had been rehearsing daily; the tune came so naturally to my fingers and seemed so familiar; I still couldn't recall if I have ever heard it before. So strange, I thought.

As I kept playing, a while later I sensed a presence nearby and this made me cast my eyes up towards the figure now standing at the first floor balcony. He was wearing a white sweater and jeans. The moonlight falling directly on his serene form made him look all the more enchanting when he already was so breathtakingly handsome. My breath hitched seeing how his hair lay ideally over his eyes that were so beautiful even when closed. How his lovely fingers moved expertly over the strings of the violin. He literally was glowing. I was beyond mesmerized and felt so soothed and relaxed that my eyes drooped closed on their own as if I was falling into a warm comfortable dream. I could see him even with my eyes closed. How he had looked this night was going to be craved in my mind forever. The music was flowing smoothly in the air through the night. The whole garden, the entire surrounding seemed to be relishing in the melody.

I was overcome by the desire of this wonderful moment to never end but to my disappointment it has to eventually, right? Goku was the one to stop first, and then I stopped too. He took a leap into the garden and landed infront of me. I had been so captured in the beauty of the situation that I almost forgot to realize that my idea did work after all. So now that it dawned upon me that I had succeeded in bringing him out of that room I really have to resist the urge to jump with happiness throwing my arms up like a three year old, cause that obviously won't be like me. I chuckled in my mind.

We just stood there eyeing each other. His face etched with so many emotions that it was unreadable. I couldn't figure out what was rendering me speechless. Whether like always it was the fact that he stood quite close to me looking like the incarnation of Adonis himself making my mind go bonkers or was it that so many questions and thoughts filled my head at the moment that I just couldn't decide where to start. May be it was a bit of both.

Then suddenly Goku did the unexpected, well, he always was so unpredictable. With his hand he tugged the strand of my hair being blown by the gentle breeze behind my ear and he still didn't move his hand away but rested his palm against my cheek stroking it lightly with his thumb. Now what does he think he was doing! I was paralyzed and my knees felt so weak suddenly. My heart thudded like hell and I wanted the earth to swallow me! Just like it always had, his physical contact inspired such foreign feelings in me that it almost scared me. So for the sake of my own sanity I was about to jerk his hand away when,

"Silvia..." he whispered looking deeply into my eyes.

I was taken aback, I never would know why but the name sounded so familiar and why was he referring me with it.

"Who?" I asked bewildered. But even before he could say something we both were taken aback by the sounds of clapping behind us. We moved from our compromised position for which I was personally quite thankful, and turned to find that Sakura, Shirou and Fujimura stood there watching us both intently with great appreciation etched on their faces.

"That was one hell of a performance!" Sakura came up. I had been so wrapped up in the absurdity of all that has happened that it took me a moment to register that she was talking about the melody I and Goku had played earlier which seemed to have lured them all there in the garden.

"You two were just amazing!" Fujimura shouted throwing her hands up.

"And I can't believe Goku, that you came out of that room!" Sakura said, her voice getting teary.

Just then Rin too came down and joined us.

"Goku, you are out!" she exclaimed and obvious had to say much more but Goku interrupted,

"Sis, Rin, look I really respect your concerns but I am sorry for I have to leave now." he said, surprising everyone.

"What do you mean? Leave? Where? Sakura asked.

"I need to talk some things out with Saber in personal." He stated. Again everyone was bewildered, and me, well, it wouldn't seem from outside because I was quite good at masking my emotions but from inside I was freaking out. What did he want to talk about, and why in personal? Damn, I was so nervous!

"Come with me." He said referring to me and began heading towards the garden's gate that led outside. I looked at Sakura and she nodded at me. Her gesture encouraged me leading me to process that if I had succeeded in preventing Goku from keep playing the music in that room and getting sucked in his own miseries then may be I could finally get him completely freed of his painful thoughts of the past. With this determination in mind suddenly I wasn't feeling awkward anymore but eager as to what he needed to talk about, and obvious I had questions of my own. Thus a conversation didn't seem too bad after all.

My mind still rumbling with thoughts I kept quiet and waited for Goku to start but he too remained silent. We kept walking and walking. The roads were all empty and silent. The starry night sky spread over us adored with a full moon. I wondered whether Goku was planning on saying something or not. Or just like me he too was waiting for me to start but it was him who wanted to talk to me at the first place. Well, his silence didn't irritate me; instead there was this strange kind of comfort just in being with him, walking beside silently, and saying nothing. But nonetheless it couldn't go on like that as at the same time it was worrying me that when he had said he wanted to talk then why was he being so quiet now. I was about to convey my concern to him when he abruptly stopped. I realized we had come across a lake. With the light of the moon shining over it, it looked so beautiful! My heart filled with warmth, and I felt elated!

"This is my most favorite place in the entire world." Goku came up, taking me by surprise as it was that pertaining to how he had been so quiet all this while I wasn't expecting him to say anything yet. Anyways I was glad he finally spoke up. May be he had been waiting to reach this place before he said anything.

"I must say it's really mesmerizing." I said eyeing the lake curiously. I had not expected him to start at such a positive note when he was dealing with memories of his sad past. But the question he put up next completely put me off,

"So you really don't know who Silvia is? Or never heard of her?"

I was thinking his conversation would comprise of his parents, of his past and that I would be soothing him to release the pain and finally let it go. But it seemed to be going a different way. Well, now that he had brought it up, I must say that since he had mentioned the name it had been one of the questions I had wanted to ask him as to who was this girl but at the same time dreaded the ans owning to the unexplained connection I felt just at the mention of Silvia.

"No I don't know who she is, why you think I would?" I asked.

"Then how did you know the tune so well? I can say that you were not just copying but you were playing ahead the parts to which I had yet to reach to as if you knew the tune by heart." He enquired.

"After hearing to the tune from you I could figure out its pattern and based on that I played it." I answered him hiding that actually my senses, my hands had seemed to know the tune somehow. Well, whatever the reason was it was not what Goku was suspecting. I was no Silvia, I was Saber.

"Oh, you really are a genius then if that's how you were able to play the tune so well. It's called Brand New Breeze, it was a tune I and Silvia had composed years ago and except us both and a few more people no one else knows it, as it couldn't be published. Thus when you played it today I could find no logic as to how you knew the tune, intensifying the feeling if you could be her. But I think I was just being absurd. How that's possible, right? She won't come back." He said releasing a disappointed sigh.

"Who was she anyway?" I asked getting curious.

"My best friend." He stated and paused.

"I thought it was Rin." I said.

"Well yeah, Rin do is a very special friend but Silvia.." he again paused turning his eyes towards the sky, they were so full of emotions-happiness, sadness, pain, laugh, suffering and what not, all at the same time.

"No one could ever take her place in my heart. I would just correct that, she was not only a best friend but beyond that. In fact I myself can't figure out to this day what she was or is to me but obvious I can say that she was the only one I have ever felt the closest to and I still do." He said, his voice becoming heavier with each word.

Then suddenly his mood uplifted as he went to tell further "Silvia Nightshade was one of a kind." He stated with pride, just saying it brought the cutest smile on his lips.

"During my time at the Juvenile orphanage I remember I was a very lonely child. And it was my own fault that it was so. The elders taking care of us there and all the other kids, everyone adored me inspite of how cold I was to them. I won't speak, I won't respond to their affection, nothing. And yet they didn't stop trying. Having lost my parents and not being able to be with them from such a young age when I had just begun to understand the world had taken its toll upon me. Every other couple that would come to visit got hell bent on adopting and taking me with them while me on not going as though I didn't socialize with them but nonetheless I loved the people at Juvenile. I was thankful to them for loving me so selflessly and it was the only place I was familiar to and I didn't want to leave it and go live with some strangers. The mistress won't press me much like she did with other kids because she too didn't want me gone. It earned her so many disputes even to the extent that some of the couples had filed cases against her stating she wasn't letting them adopt me when they were quiet capable and willing to provide me. But fortunately everytime the case ended in her favor, seeing my attachment to Juvenile the judge dismissed the plea of the couples consoling them that they could take me but after I grew up a little more. This way I stayed there for three years."

" _I could connect well with couples fighting to adopt Goku, he must have been so adorable!"_ I amused.

"One day I was sitting at the window just watching the birds outside when I heard some music coming from a distant. It was such a melodious note which seemed to be drawing me towards it and I couldn't resist. Escaping everyone's eyes once I was out I ran and ran following the tune which led me to the little music shop nearby. There I saw her, the loveliest girl who looked of my age playing a violin. She had quite a peculiar hair of blazing red color. She seemed so absorbed in the music that her eyes were closed yet as if she sensed my presence her chocolate brown orbs opened up and she looked at me while I stood there watching her through the glass."

" _Now that was so like me and Goku, considering how the two of us even before witnessing with our eyes always would know the other was around." I reckoned._

" _Also, whatever Goku was telling I had this constant feeling that I knew the story, I knew what would happen next and yet couldn't recall. But this was impossible, why the hell did I feel like that!" I thought irritatingly. Anyways coming back to what Goku was telling,_

"Following her gaze the old lady, Maria, who stood beside her, saw me too. She invited me in and enquired quite a few things regarding who I was, where I lived and what was I doing hanging around the shop like that. When I told them of the orphanage they both were shocked and expressed their sympathies towards me. When I told them it was the tune from the girl's violin that had drawn me there, the girl seemed very happy and ready to play it for me. But Maria stopped her stating that as I had told them I had left the orphanage without informing anyone, thus they must be worried for me and it was better if I went back. I too realizing her concern was right agreed to her advice. Maria came along with me to the orphanage and fortunately I arrived just at the right time because everyone had come to know I was missing and the mistress was about to call the police. She scolded me for being so reckless but later forgave me making me promise that I won't do such a thing again. Besides she was glad after hearing it from Maria as to how the music of the violin has appealed so much to me. It was for the first time I had shown interest in something on my own. Thus she decided to take me to the shop on Thursdays when Silvia would be off from school earlier and playing violin there. Maria agreed to the proposal happily. So from then onwards every Thursday I would be at the shop listening to Silvia play. It seemed a miracle to everyone how I, a boy who had always been so quiet and distant was gradually transforming into a cheerful bubbly kid. My mistress was ecstatic and I remember that she had almost cried with happiness stating how she had always waited for something as such to happen that would make my sufferings go away so that I could be a normal kid and how she had longed to see me laughing, talking and being like other children. It even surprised me how in no time I and Silvia became very good friends. I still don't know what she had in her. She was just too energetic, her love and craze for life could inspire new energy in almost anyone, she inspired in me a desire to know the world and to live to the fullest; I completely changed because of her. She too knew the pain of loss, as she only had her mother; her father had died in an accident when she was a baby and yet bearing it bravely she didn't turned away from life like I had but faced it with ultimate vigor and a happy go lucky attitude that was so infectious it made everyone around her want to rejoice and let it all go. Once mistress had allowed me a stay at her home, it's so vivid in my memory how I and her sat at the roof top of the house eyeing the beautiful starry sky. She made me promise then that if some tragedy occurred in the future even when I gave my 100 percent to prevent it then I would never turn again into the melancholic person I was. She also taught me to the play violin and it didn't take me long to learn. The elders always said that I and she were special children and it was proved correct as while it takes a whole group of skilful geniuses to produce a new tune we two at such a young age had composed our first music together, Brand New Breeze. Everyone loved it and Maria planned to launch this music on a bigger stage getting our names registered for competing in one of the most popular music concert then, 'the Incognita' where a single artist or group of artists presented their own composed works and the winner would get their work published in the incognita magazine thus earning them a path to a bright successful career in music. So when everything was going well and good, just before the day of our performance life had to take that turn which shattered me again. When I walked into the music shop that evening, I found Maria sitting with her shoulders slumped, head low. When I asked what happened she told me that Silvia and her mother had left the town abruptly without giving any proper reason as to why they did so. I was beyond shocked hearing it. Maria asked me to perform in the contest alone but I denied. I was too upset to do anything. I kept waiting for Silvia, my mind rambling with thoughts of how she could have left like that. But when one year passed away the hope in me died. Silvia was way too important for me, since the day she came into my life I could never imagine my life without her and now that she was gone I couldn't take it. It was the time when one day Sakura Matuo came to visit the orphanage, she saw and instantly fell in love with me and told the mistress she wanted to adopt me. Mistress still didn't want me gone but she could see well infront of her eyes how grief stricken I was and she feared I would soon turn back to the sad and lone boy I once was and she obvious didn't want that. Thus considering all the pros and cons, as it was where we lived then was a small town 'Chruchvilleshire' whereas Sakura lived in London, Europe and was offering to teach me in one of the best schools in the world 'Mount Hickery' while before I had been schooled at the orphanage itself. It was the best opportunity for me to get an exposure to real school life among other students, and London would be a complete new place, a new environment, new people, a new routine which might divert my mind and so my mistress agreed to Sakura's proposal for my own good. I too didn't protest because the town reminded me of the past and I felt almost repulsive and had this overwhelming desire to run far away from there, far away from the excruciating memories. Thus with a promise that she would occasionally bring me back to meet the mistress I was off to London with Sakura. It took me long to adjust to the new life, I was very angry with fate as to why it has to be so harsh with me and take away all the people I loved. I took out the anger on the people around me. I was the worst child who won't listen to Sakura, who won't eat properly, and when she scolded me for it I would shout on her and run away from home to this lake and won't be back till she came searching for me, in short I gave her all kinds of trouble. At school, 'Rin Toshaka', well, it's very ironical that she being a girl infamous for her reserved attitude was after my life to become my friend. No matter how bad I ignored her she won't give up trying. Life went on like that until one day like often I had an argument with Sakura; as usual I rushed outside to head to the lake, Sakura followed and in a bid to catch me she didn't notice the car passing by our house. I heard her scream behind me and turned to see her lying hit by the car, blood oozing out from her head. Horrified I dropped to my knees. Though I was too shocked to react but somehow composing myself I called the neighbors for help and in no time the people of the society gathered around and helped her getting admitted to the hospital. That day, whatever Sakura had done for me flashed infront of my eyes like a movie. That time I realized that all the hatred inside me had prevented me from accepting that subconsciously I too had grown to care for her and loved her given how she had always been so affectionate to me even when I had being so nasty to her. For once I realized her importance. Sakura remained unconscious for two days; the neighbors took care of me then. I was surprised when Rin paid a visit to the hospital with her mother. She told she came to know of the incident from our teacher whom the neighbors had informed that I would be absent for few days regarding what happened with my sister. That again was one of the hardest times in my life; I cried the entire day and night blaming and cursing myself and praying for Sakura to get well. And through all of it Rin never left my side. All through my life before, whenever something bad occurred I had always ran away from everyone but this time I didn't had the heart to do so. I was finally tired of running away, too scared of being alone anymore and thus I was very thankful to Rin that she stayed with me. Crying on her shoulder and her soothing words relaxed me, reducing the burden I felt on my heart. To account for all mistakes I had done and breaking the promise I made with Silvia that I won't turn away from life no matter what tragedy occurred I made another promise that because of my past I won't ever hurt the people in my present anymore and would start valuing and loving those who cared for and loved me. Fortunately Sakura recovered gradually and was fine again. From then onwards I never broke my promise, Rin became my best friend, my princess, and Sakura, well you know how dear my sister is to me." Goku finished the long tragic tale, his eyes misty with hints of tears. He shook his head shaking the drops off before it could slide down his cheeks,

"Seems I went into too much of details, got too carried away huh?" he chuckled lightly.

"While my only intent was to tell you about Silvia, how she came into my life like a gust of wind and the same way she was gone also. To this day I wonder where she would be and why she had to leave so abruptly like that." He said.

"I am sorry." I said expressing my sympathy towards him.

"It's okay." He said.

"Since you came into my life Saber, I had this small feeling like you were her. But then always I would shake it off given the striking differences you both have in personalities and looks. Though you would be surprised to know if not accounted for the hair and eyes I am sure Silvia would have looked just like you after growing up. Anyways, but as you said, you are not her. Still Saber you remind me of her. And that makes me feel closer to you than ever before." He said giving me his loveliest signature smile.

My heart stopped at his admittance of having such deep emotions for me and brought the inevitable blush over my cheeks. I had to bend my head low to hide it. Though the fact that I reminded him of Silvia didn't make me feel any better when already I was having this weird unknown feeling of having some connection with this girl. Again I dismissed the thoughts as my brain playing tricks on me because of overtraining and nothing else. Anyways, so now that Goku seemed done with what he has to say I decided to give him the piece of my mind I had wanted to.

"Goku, look it's true that now you are a very loving, socializing person but on your birthdays the way you run away from people, locking yourself in a room and being all upset over what happened to your parents you aren't just hurting yourself but also the people you love. Being like this you again are doing the same things that you promised not to do. Do you even know Rin keeps standing outside that room the whole time you remain locked up in there?" I said,

"I know. I have asked her not to do that but she won't listen." He said.

"Now don't give me that! Emotions and concerns for someone come from inside us so just because you asked her it's not like she would stop bothering for you." I yelled at him.

He seemed alarmed at my outburst, thus I calmed myself down and spoke softly putting all my emotions into whatever I said next.

"Goku, it's time you let it all go, for your sake, for the sake of your friends, your sister, your parents who are still there in your heart, move on."

Goku seemed very much affected by my words considering how he kept looking deeply into my eyes, and once I finished he closed his eyes and took a breath.

"Saber today when your music dragged me out of that room I felt a burden uplifted from my shoulders. It's strange though how when young many people tried to make my depression go away but only Silvia was actually able to do it, now years after no one but you, in whom I see her, have succeeded in making me feel that it's been long and finally the time has come when I must throw away the last chunks of bad memories residing in my heart." He said.

"Right." I said pressing his hands.

"Thanks." He smiled at me.

"Don't mention it." I smiled back. For the next few minutes leaning against the railing that lined the lake we both kept staring at the stars, the cool breeze of night making our strands brush against our cheeks. It was wonderful.

"Shall we?" suddenly Goku popped up. And somehow I knew that he was referring to heading back home. Thus I nodded.

On the way back I asked him,

"Goku how did you come to know of what had happened to your parents as it was that Rin told me you were an infant when the incidence occurred."

"The mistress never told the exact details of what happened to them whenever I questioned her about it because she was afraid being the reckless child I was if I came to know that my parents had disappeared and no one could find how, then I would go searching for them. She would tell me that they died of some peculiar disease but since childhood I had these dreams which seem to be telling the story otherwise. In these dreams I could see nothing except a blur which seemed like a forest, I heard voices of running footsteps, of a man and woman screaming, the crying of a baby and I somehow knew that the baby was me. Before the dream ended the female voice would whisper to me "Take care and be safe my baby boy, mama and papa loves you." and then I would wake up with a jerk drenched in cold sweat. When I told the mistress of the dreams she would dismiss it saying that my imagination and over thinking about my parents were causing them and they meant nothing. Finding her reasons to be somewhat logical I bought her lies yet I couldn't shake off the feeling that those dreams did want to tell me something and meant more than just a vague product of my mind. As I grew up the frequency of such dreams reduced but the intensity increased. I began to have them less often but whenever I had them, the screams would be louder, the emotions deeper, to the level that it drove me crazy and I could take it no longer. I needed to find answers. Around age of 14 I was living with Sakura, when she saw what my dreams were doing to me and that it was not right to be keeping things from me anymore she told me the entire truth, I was outraged. That weekend when we went to Churchvilleshire, I went to the agency that had investigated the case of my parents years ago. I asked for details of everything they had, I myself went to our old house where my family lived. No one had brought it after the incidence that occurred with my parents that night as they believed it to be haunted. The authorities had the furniture moved and the house locked leaving the cardboard boxes and few more things which they didn't considered of much importance. I got the house unlocked and investigated it. From whatever was left I collected what I felt like could help me solving the mystery of my parents' disappearance. I also went and investigated the forested area behind the house. I could bet then that my dreams actually meant something because it was the forest I dreamt of. Since then till today I am working on the case but you see I still haven't found anything significant. It's true the clues are very less and I could connect with why the case had to be shut off on grounds of lack of proof. Some findings even point to that the supernatural is involved in it making it trickier. But no matter what, I am determined to find what actually happened to my parents. Also whatever caused their disappearance why it left me is a mystery." He told.

"Ohh.." was what escaped my lips because I couldn't find anything else to say at the moment. His life surely had been one of a kind.

The rest of the way we both remained quiet lost in our respective thoughts when I felt Goku's hand around mine, he clutched it firmly which made me look at him. He seemed somewhat disturbed and not even aware that subconsciously he had reached out for my hand. May be talking about his parents was affecting him again thus I tightened my grip on his hand telling him that I was with him to help fight his inner demons and he wasn't alone in it. My act seemed to have calmed him down as the tension dropped from his face instantly and he seemed to realize finally that we were holding hands. A small smile settled itself on his charming face simply stating that he was grateful to me. Then we walked like that hand in hand till we reached home where Goku let go of it and walked inside. I felt so cold at the loss of the touch, instantly chiding myself mentally for feeling like that. We found everyone sitting in the drawing room, their eyes got lighted up seeing us.

"Where have you two been?" Sakura asked.

"Leave that sis, and I am sorry for troubling you all like that when you should be off sleeping but anyways the good news is tomorrow calls for celebrations, after all its my birthday!" he said happily.

Everyone had blank faces hearing this from him. Obvious they weren't expecting it so it did took them sometime to take it in but finally when the realization hit,

"Pinch me!" Fujimura was the first to shout with excitement before launching her over her cousin and ruffling his hair.

"You really mean that?" she was asking. Goku laughed and nodded.

"Oh my, I can't believe its happening." Sakura exclaimed with watery eyes.

After Goku somehow escaped from the overexcited Fujimura's strangling grasp, Rin instantly took him in a warming hug which Goku returned gladly.

"I am so happy Goku. It's not the fact that you are ready to celebrate your birthday, I mean that too matters but what matters most is that you actually let go of the memories that have been haunting you. And seeing you now, from how happy you seem I can say finally it has happened." She exclaimed, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Yeah I have pushed them all out Rin, I won't let them haunt me anymore." He said burying his head in her hair.

"What magic have you done on him Saber?" Sakura giggled.

"Just a little counseling." I winked at her.

Sakura beamed at me.

"Obvious she is the reason behind it all. I don't know how to thank you Saber." Goku said pulling away from Rin.

"Now again you are being too formal." I said rolling my eyes. Everyone laughed, but not Rin. Obvious she was happy that Goku finally seemed freed of whatever bad memories of the past that were left in him but nonetheless it bothered her that when no one else could do it earlier, I was the one who was able to get him over with it. Anyways, I just ignored her penetrating stare my eyes instantly falling on Shirou who too looked very happy.

I figured out when I and Goku had been outside Sakura or the other two girls must have filled him up of the story behind Goku not celebrating his birthday. Thus he didn't seem ignorant of what was going on.

Well, how everyone was in such high spirits it didn't seem the thought of going to sleep crossed their minds. The way they laughed and rejoiced, it was just good to sit and watch them. Since always I had been exposed to an austere life only comprising of fighting and training. My father was a strict person; he loved me but never showed his emotions openly. He said emotions made us weak. But watching these people care for each other, rejoicing in each other's happiness, for the first time I was witnessing the love of family and friends. And I found it to be nice.

 **TBC...**

 **Coming up next : Happy Birthday Goku!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19- Happy Birthday Goku!**

 **Goku's POV:**

With the Grail War going on and thus when we needed to spent as much as possible time in training ourselves, I had insisted that a little cake cutting ceremony was enough for my birthday but Sakura, Rin and Fujimura were persistent that we went for some outing to celebrate it. Rin suggested that we could overwork some other day to cover up for the lost time but that they weren't going to miss the opportunity to celebrate my birthday to the fullest at any cost.

So here we were, dressed in the finest clothes, looking our best. I wore my favourite black T-shirt and blue Jeans, Shirou was in white T-shirt and Blue Jeans. Archer too was coming with us. Dressed in a red T-shirt and black Jeans he was being his usual self, with his nose stuck high up in air he looked quite bored and not at all interested in whatever activity we were engaging in. He had agreed only because Rin wanted him to, otherwise obvious he wasn't a one who would voluntarily involve him in some occasion that was so far concerned with me. Anyways, talking of Rin, she looked gorgeous wearing a light denim coloured top and white Capri, Fujimura wore a lovely blue coloured dress, while Saber and Sakura, well, they both still hadn't showed up as we stood waiting for them outside.

"What's taking them so long!" Fujimura whined tapping her feet impatiently.

The very next moment Sakura came out of the house, she looked very pretty dressed in the white midi she wore.

"What? Where's Saber? Don't tell me she still hadn't got dressed up, we already have being waiting for half an hour! I never thought of all of us she, whose mind seems to have never crossed a thought except fighting and training would take the longest to get ready." Fujimura fussed.

"Calm down Fuji. It's not her fault, she was ready to go in her usual attire, also considering how plain and simple she prefers to be she didn't have any fancy clothes anyway, so it was I who insisted her on wearing one of my dresses because it didn't seemed right to me if we all went dressed up so nicely while she went in her ordinary clothes." Sakura said.

"And yes, as it is that she hadn't worn something like this before, also not to mention her stubbornness, first getting her to agree to wear the dress and then actually getting her dressed up into it had been quite a daunting task." Sakura said with a tired sigh.

Well, Imagining Sakura trying to get a reluctant Saber all dressed up seemed quite a hilarious situation to me, now I could connect as to what all that sounds from inside the house, of things collapsing and falling had been about. But I suppressed the urge to chuckle because having experienced it myself I knew how it was to get Saber to do something which she didn't want, I almost shuddered at the thought of what Sakura must have been through.

"Anyways, though it was quite tough I am quite pleased with my work." Sakura said getting lighted up.

"So here I present to you a whole new Saber." She said in a sing sang voice, dramatically extending her hands towards the door but no one stepped out of it.

"Oh c'mon Saber! Now stop being like that and come out." She said rolling her eyes.

"No! I am not going anywhere in this..it's..it's too short and.. clingy and.. disgusting! I am going to change to my normal clothes, I can't bear with this" came Saber's frustrated voice from inside.

"Very well, I have tried my best, now I can't anymore!" Sakura exclaimed slapping her face.

"Oh wow, so now we will have to wait more till she changes back, why did you even try it Sakura!" Rin said getting agitated. Sakura's face fell and she didn't say anything.

As for me I really wanted to see Saber in something new and different and thus,

"Saber please wear the dress for me, and you can't deny me because it's my birthday and I will assume it's my present from you." I said getting closer to the door.

For a moment there was complete silence from the other side but then slowly the door started to open up, I stepped back, keeping it only half open Saber peeped out from behind it looking a bit scared. How so innocent and adorable she was!I thought _._

I gave a nod to encourage her, so taking small steps she came out. She wore a black midi and black sandals, her hair were not done in a bun like usual but were tied in a long flowing pony tail that reached her waist. With her hair always tied up I never knew they were so long. She kept pulling the hem of her dress again and again; also she seemed to be finding it quite difficult to walk in heels. Well, it has to happen when she had never been in such attire anytime before, she just seemed like a fish out of water. But all this clumsiness made her look all the more adorable and it wasn't only me but everyone seemed speechless after seeing her. Except the dress and hair there was no change about her, she had no makeup applied on her face, also it was not as if she even required it considering she was a natural beauty with such fiery red lips and her face, a creamy mix of white and a tinge of pink. She had always looked extremely beautiful even in some ordinary clothes and now the black midi which suited her white complexion so well; I couldn't describe how lovely she looked in it. I absolutely had no words. Sakura's smile stretched from end to end, speaking of how proud she was of her work. I too had to admit that she had done a great job.

It took everyone a few minutes to break out of the trance,

"If we all are done with being as narcissistic as possible, can we go now and get finished up with this birthday celebration business." Archer said in a monotonous tone.

"Shut up Archer! Why do you always have to be a jerk!" Rin yelled at him.

" _What else could be expected from him?"_ I thought. Anyways, so finally we were all set to go and everyone started heading towards the SUV, we preferred to travel by car because last time it had been a very troublesome experience when we were returning from the winter castle on Nimbus as it was not big enough to accommodate so many people. The SUV, after I had made certain changes to its design one year ago, it was now much faster and quite spacious to accommodate us all perfectly.

Saber still was having a hard time even walking to the car and suddenly tripped over her feet, quickly coming to her aid I reached out and caught her arm to steady her up.

"Be careful." I said with concern. Her head turned towards me and our eyes met. Then I don't know for how long we kept standing like that, when Fujimura's voice interrupted,

"Guys, will you two stop drooling over each other and come already so that we can get going, how much more delayed is this going to get!"

I and Saber quickly moved apart blushing furiously. Boy, what the hell keeps happening when I am around her? I wondered as usual. Quiet embarrassed we both moved and got inside the car, as I was the one to drive I took the driver's seat. Saber got seated at the back with others while I had wanted her to sit with me but the place was already taken by Rin, so anyway that couldn't happen now. Inserting the key I had just started the car when an Audi parked beside and out came a man along with Illiya.

The girl practically ran, got into the car and shoving Rin out of way threw herself on me.

"Oh Goku! I missed you so much!" She exclaimed.

"Hey Illiya! It's nice to see you too, you look quite well now!" I said taken aback by her sudden arrival.

"Yeah, the doctor discharged me today." She replied happily.

"She is fully recovered now sir, I would take my leave." Said the man who had come to drop her, and even before I could express my gratitude for his kind service he left in a hurry as if it was a great relief for him getting rid of the child. Obviously who could blame him? After all Illiya was one hell of a havoc, wasn't she?" I chuckled in my mind.

"Goku told me about you, welcome back Illiya. I am Goku's sister, its nice to meet you." Sakura said, Illiya responded with a nod.

"Since when have the infirmary been providing service of dropping patients to their homes?" Rin asked.

"Actually I had asked them to bring her home once she recovered, and since I have good relations with the staff there, they had agreed to it." I told Rin.

"Oh. Then I must say what a perfect timing for a nuisance to show up!" Rin taunted making a face while Illiya just ignored her.

"Where are you all headed to Goku?" she asked.

"It's my birthday so we are going to the 'Palais Garnier' for a movie." I told her.

"Really! Happy Birthday Goku!" she wished,

"Well thank you very much." I expressed.

" I want to come too!" she exclaimed happily.

"Obviously you are coming kiddo." I said patting her head. She beamed at me.

"And I want to sit here, beside you." She whined.

"No way! Go sit at the back!" Rin retorted.

"Oh please Rin, she is just a kid." I pleaded.

"Not again Goku! She is no kid but an evil little nuisance! I am not going anywhere." Rin yelled but when I raised my eyebrows,

"Fine, whatever.." she huffed, then stuck out her tongue at Illiya before shifting at the back. Illiya too was sticking her tongue out at Rin.

"Illiya, now when I am defending your side don't embarrass me by acting like that and be a good kid." I reprimanded her.

At this she gave me a sheepish smile and innocently took the seat beside me, I couldn't help but amuse at her and Rin's antics, such children they both were.

Anyways so finally we all were on our way and Illiya won't keep quiet. She shouted and jumped over her seat, getting excited and overwhelmed seeing all the huge buildings that came across the way and would question me about them, listening with curiosity whatever I had to say in response. She was such a bubbly kid, I wondered how could she have acted so evil before but then again I had the explanation that being too young and naive whatever she had done was a mistake she regretted, the reason I had decided to give her one more chance. Also, when the first time I had seen her feeding grains to the birds in the park I knew she had a good heart, because a pure evil soul can never be kind to animals.

When we reached the theatre, Illiya didn't stay at one place. She would run here and there and everywhere and won't listen to me at all. Eventually I had to pick up and carry her along inside. Once inside the hall when we all got seated and the movie started, she got indulged in watching it, finally letting me have a breath of relief. Phew! _What a notorious and troublesome child!_ I thought.

A few minutes passed, 'Chambers' was a thriller movie I had wanted to watch since long but now when it actually was playing infront of me I found my mind diverting again and again to Saber, she was sitting two seats away from me. I had nothing planned as such before but since the moment the movie had started, from nowhere this idea had popped up in my mind and I was dying to carry it out. After a little while more when I couldn't take it any longer I got up and reached behind where Saber was sitting, everyone turned to me bewildered as to what I was doing,

"Goku what happened?" Rin asked.

"I and Saber aren't finding this movie interesting, but you all seem to be enjoying it so carry on guys, till that we both will go and have some fun outside then come back." I replied.

"What! Goku, when did you hear me say that I am not enjoying it?" Saber questioned incredulously.

"Oh c'mon Saber your expression itself says it out loud." I covered up with a quick lie and before further arguments could rise I took hold of her hand and rushed outside at such a fast pace that in a blink of eye we both were outside the theatre.

"Goku! Have you gone nuts! What the hell do you think you are doing!" Saber yelled irritatingly.

But all I did was smile at her; thinking of what I had planned ahead I just couldn't help it.

"What?" Saber asked again, getting even more agitated at such a reaction from me when she seemed desperate to know the reason of my strange behaviour.

"Remember I once promised to take you on a tour of entire Europe?" I said, instantly all the irritation was gone from Saber's face and she went blank for a moment before realization dawned upon her.

"Goku! No! I have given up on that long ago. And today it's your birthday not mine. Why are you so focused on doing things for me?" she fussed about.

"Because making you happy is the most precious gift I could be presented with." I told her, she was stunned by my remark and stood speechless, acting on cue I called out to Nimbus and the cloud showed up instantly.

I got mounted over it and extended my hand for Saber to take, I still expected her to protest and thought a lot more convincing would be required from my side but it surprised me when she simply put her hand into mine and let me pull her up. Nimbus took off; reading my mind it knew where I wanted it to take us. Saber remained quite all the while, her eyes fixed down on the cloud; she still seemed affected by what I had said about her happiness being my most valuable gift. And why won't she be, after all the statement had been quite a touching one and nonetheless it was the truth. Her happiness did matter to me a lot because she was the reason I was able to let go of something that had been bothering me for years and that's why when she already had been so important to me, now she had gained even a much more special place in my heart. I had made up my mind to do something nice for her, then I remembered the promise I made to her in the hospital and I just had a feeling that it was the correct time to do it; she sure was going to love it.

"Goku, why am I so important to you?" she mumbled suddenly, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Do I need to ans that Saber?" I asked her, she sighed, a pool of emotions shining through her eyes.

"You are just being too grateful; I haven't done anything even that great for you." She said with shyness.

"Yes you have." I told her with a smile, my heart filling up with warmth when she said nothing further and just smiled back at me.

"What about others, won't they find it rude you left them like that?" she asked.

"See, my mind wasn't into the movie but on taking you out. About you, even if you were enjoying it I ensure you a tour of Europe can be much more fun than a movie and with Nimbus' speed I think one hour is more than enough for it. Then we can return to the theatre, the movie too would be over by then and thus the main birthday celebration and cake cutting I will be doing with everyone present so it's not like I have left them as such." I explained her.

"Huh, whatever you think right." Saber said rolling her eyes. By that time we had reached our destination, 'The Luxury Café'.

Stepping down from Nimbus and taking a bow I extended my hand towards Saber,

"My lady." I said.

Saber chuckled amusingly at the gesture before taking my hand and coming down. Like that hand in hand we walked inside, chose a table and sat down. I ordered coffee for both of us and till it arrived we chatted.

"You know I had wanted to say this for long Saber that I am glad that now or since we had the connection ball process done between us, you are being yourself. When you had showed up after your disappearance, the way you behaved then, though you said it was the real you, contrary to that it all seemed a pretence. And how you are being now seems so genuine, this is the real Saber I met in the hospital, this is the real you. Just always be like this." I said.

Saber obviously wasn't expecting that suddenly our conversation would come to this, her gaze shifted to the table and she couldn't look me into the eyes anymore.

"The tough and rude exterior you were trying to put on, it was because of your dad, wasn't it?" I pressed further. Her face fell even more with each word I uttered, and she said nothing.

I realized that when I wanted to make it a memorable day for her I wasn't helping by talking about such things. But it was just that I knew things weren't good between she and her father, and all I wanted was to help her with such issues, she needed to understand and make her father understand that everyone has the right to live life as they want and that the real person she was, she was just great and thus he needed not to force her to be someone she was not. Though from how upset and nervous Saber looked I decided not to press her any further on the topic, and thought the matter could be discussed some other time. Meanwhile I just wanted her to be happy.

So trying to figure out a way of cheering her up again I started sipping my coffee which had arrived by then. I was afraid that she would just get up and leave, and was regretting why I had to bring up such a sensitive subject when things were going so well. I was feeling like a complete fool. But when Saber too picked up the cup and started sipping her coffee, a sense of relief washed over me that may be she wasn't as mad at me as I was expecting her to be.

Seeing her sipping her coffee plainly I couldn't help but tell her,

"Don't sip like that, there's no fun, do it like this." Thus I showed her my way of having any kind of drink, a way that I found the most interesting, and that was by making deep sipping sounds with each gulp of the drink.

"That's weird." Saber said making a face.

"But weird is fun, just try it." I replied with a cheeky smile. She chuckled and shook her head amusingly before taking the next gulp of her coffee with a deep sipping sound.

Then with a goofy smile hovering over her face she lowered her cup and said,

"Well, this sure is fun."

I smiled back at her giving her the 'told you' look, after that we both drank our coffees making all kinds of weird sipping noises, and once those were finished we broke into a hearty laugh.

"See, life is just like that Saber, you need to enjoy each and every moment to its fullest. It's these small things in life that make us happy." I said with a thoughtful look and she nodded happily.

"So what next?" she asked.

"Someone is very excited." I amused.

"Yeah I am." She replied with a cheeky smile.

"That's great." I exclaimed feeling ecstatic, after all you can't get her so open and outgoing everyday.

"C'mon." I said, getting up and making a loop with my arm for her to take which she accepted gladly and we left the cafe.

Next we went to the nearby Mall, I took Saber to the girl's spot which was lined with such beautiful dresses, and I could imagine her in each one of them thinking she would just look like an angel. I asked her to try some but she didn't show any interest, infact she seemed a bit bored. Now here I had to say that though Saber interests lay in fighting and martial arts and I respected that, but being a girl, and a one as beautiful as her, she needed to have a taste in clothing and dressing also. For sure a bit of fashion instead of her usual plain and simple getup was going to enhance her looks and personality even further.

"Saber you should always be open to go out of your usual ways and try new things." I tried to pursue her.

"But Goku it's not my thing, these dresses and all. This midi I am wearing is just because it's your birthday and you so badly wanted me to wear it. But as you yourself would have seen I can't even walk in these sandals and from how uncomfortable I am in this dress I swear I will never ever wear any dress in my life again and if this is not enough of a torture for me you are asking me to try some more of this stuff!" She protested.

"Look, you are uncomfortable in the dress because you are trying something like this for the first time but gradually you would get used to it. Sipping the coffee making noises too had seemed weird to you but when you tried you did enjoy that, similarly you are going to love this also." I said placing the purple coloured gown I wanted her to try, in her hands.

"Goku, but that was..."

Now before she could argue further,

"No if and buts, just go and try it." I told her firmly, my tone making it clear to her that she had no escape, she stomped her foot with a huff before starting towards the changing room.

Well, this victory over her stubbornness sure bought a mischievous smile on my face; Saber turned back and noticed it. She gave me the coldest stare which said 'you sure are going to pay for this' before getting into the room.

I chuckled and laughed to myself.

A few minutes later when she came out dressed in the gown, I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was absolutely gorgeous; slowly she came to me,

"So?" She asked.

"Saber, how so beautiful you are..." the words just rolled down my tongue even before I knew it, my voice breathless and filled with awe.

She blushed and looked away.

I wanted to say so much more but there were no words to define her beyond remarkable beauty. I just couldn't help but wonder how someone could be as pretty and lovely as she was.

"Come here you need to see this yourself." I said before pulling her to the mirror, and she seemed quite impressed by what was reflected.

"Told you, you will love this." I said, and then removing her band I unleashed her silky golden locks.

"Goku!" she turned to me taken aback by my actions.

I shushed her. Taking a hat that matched with her gown from the nearby shelf, I placed it over her head. Then turning her towards the mirror again,

"You look like the most beautiful dream come true." I told her.

She smiled the loveliest of her smiles but what she did next I couldn't have ever expected it coming from her, turning around she hugged me tightly. It took me awhile to believe that such a warm gesture had come from her side before I slid my hands across her back and hugged her back.

"Goku, this dress sure is very lovely and looks good on me but it's too heavy, so can I go and change now?" She asked, her head buried in my chest. I laughed at her adorableness,

"Yeah ofcourse." I said giving a peck on her forehead.

"But wait a minute then you can go." I said taking out my phone and then clicked some photos of us both, and a few of her alone.

Then Saber went away for changing. She was in complete bliss and so was I for being able to make her this happy. When she came back she started to put back her hair band but I asked her not to because she looked even much prettier with open hair and so she didn't put it on.

The Aqua was a section of the mall where they had a corridor with both sides of it lined with aquarium, Saber was thrilled to see a small ocean closed in glass as we passed through it. I again was feeling bad for her that even such things which were so common in the present times, she was witnessing it for the first time, all thanks to her father for keeping her so secluded. I just couldn't help but feel repulsive towards the man. Anyways I abandoned the thought, for then I just wanted to enjoy with Saber and let no worries of the various issues in our lives spoil the great moments. We clicked a few more photographs before we came out of the corridor. Saber suddenly ran towards a counter lined with all kinds of stuff toys and picked up a brown teddy bear from among them.

When I approached her she turned to me showing me the teddy bear.

"Can you buy this for me?" She asked hugging the bear dearly.

Saber's affection for such a childlike thing like a teddy bear seemed in such contrast with her typical tough and rigid personality that I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. Though on the other hand if her hidden soft side was to be considered then it went well with that.

"What's so funny?" she asked raising her eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing...and for sure I will buy this for you." I said, and bought the teddy bear for her.

Then we spent some more time roaming around in the mall, clicking a few more photographs. I told Saber that we could go and have burger in Macdy but she denied saying her appetite had taken a back seat and she was more excited to visit new places than eating.

"Ok then let's go and fulfil your wish." I exclaimed, she responded with a bright smile.

And so exiting the mall we again got mounted on Nimbus and there began our long ride, I showed Saber all the famous places of Europe- Madrid,Vienna,Rome,Prague,Milan,Kotor,Brussels,Azores,Nantes, Athens and at last Paris. Saber's amazement was reflected by how her eyes grew wide and almost sparkled as she admired with awe and wonder the beautiful cities that stretched over to where our eyes could see. She was overjoyed, her eyes were dancing, her face was all smiles, and about me, I just couldn't help thinking how all the more beautiful she looked being this happy as she was now. The wind played with her soft hair brushing them against her cheeks. She laughed, giggled, and like a five year old pointing her finger towards everything she saw she expressed her wonder and great admiration for it. I must say I was growing so fond of this side of her's.

When we reached the Eiffel tower, Saber was fascinated by the monument and wanted to have a closer look. So we landed there, bought our tickets and entered the tower. We took the stairs to the first level Le 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant.

"Still your appetite is at the back seat?" I asked her.

"No, the adventurous ride sure has made me hungry." She said laughing.

"Ok then, let's fill ourselves." I exclaimed, though I was afraid if we would get a seat. The place being such a popular spot it was almost impossible to get one if you didn't get your bookings done few weeks ahead in advance. But then call us very lucky that we found an empty table. I ordered the finest French cuisine, the restaurant was infamous for. We both found it very delicious. The large windows of the restaurant offered grand view outside.

"It's so beautiful." Saber expressed admiring the wide stretch of lawns.

"These are called the Trocadero and the Champs de Mars." I told her. The elaborate iron work design of the tower could also be seen from the window.

After finishing our dishes we went to the Le Jules Vernes at the second floor but as we were full already we didn't eat anything there and headed straight to the top. The view again was awesome from there as we stood enjoying it. Few minutes later we left the tower and then just roamed through the enchanting streets of Paris, chatting, laughing and giggling, completely lost in the bliss of the moment. In our way we came across a place where music was playing and a large number of people were dancing to it.

"Is some event going on here?" Saber asked me.

"Seems like street dancing, it's very common here, let's go and join them." I said, before dragging her along.

We too started dancing to the music which was quite rocking. I noticed how while earlier it had been difficult for her to walk in the sandals she now was managing well to even dance in them. Hence concluded she sure was a great learner, and it was good for her because then she could get along with the fashionable trends quickly just if she kept aside her stubbornness to get involved into such things, that is.

Also I hadn't expected her to dance so well, as she was.

"I didn't know you were such a fine dancer. You sure have so many hidden talents, first the violin, then this dancing; now what would be next, I wonder." I remarked.

"It isn't that big of a deal." Saber laughed.

"Actually during the tournaments when at times it used to take long to start, I would go to certain restaurants to fleet my time with some coffee or food. Some of the restaurants also had arrangements for music and dancing, so I had seen people dancing there and thus know a few steps." She told.

"Oh, that's rich. And it signifies you aren't even that deprived when it comes to being lively." I teased her.

"Shut up." She retorted faking mock anger, and then we both broke into laughter.

"But on a serious note Saber, as today I witnessed it myself, you really are a very lively, bubbly and vibrant person. And again I repeat that this side of yours is the real you, you should always stay like this and not how some other person wants you to." I said, her eyes grew emotional getting completely what I was hinting at but she said nothing. I couldn't get why she always avoided this topic so badly. Why won't she just let me know? But then I thought may be it was because she still couldn't trust me as much that she was ready to confide in me yet. And that was okay, I would let her have the time to develop the trust as such she would decide to disclose the most sensitive issues of her life to me, and whenever that would happen I was determined to help her with it. So again for the while I let the matter rest.

The song had ended by then and a new one began playing, but like the earlier one it wasn't an energetic song but a slow and sweet one.

The pairs around us came closer to each other and began ball dancing. Saber looked quite awkward now and started to walk away but grapping her arm I pulled her back.

"Now don't you be reluctant to this, I told you..." I started saying but she interrupted.

"Yeah,yeah, to try new things, but Goku this is too much, no!" She tried to deny.

"Saber, why are you being so shy? You hugged me in the mall, we are such good friends. Can't you have a ball dance with me?" I pleaded.

"Goku..you don't understand, it's, ok fine, now if I step and hurt your feet do not complain." She said making a face. I laughed.

"I think I am ready to take that if it means I get to dance with you." I came up with a smile, she rolled her eyes.

I drew her closer, placing my one hand on her waist and with the other held her hand; she placed her free hand on my back and slowly we started to dance. Saber was a good ball dancer too, and contrary to what she had humorously pointed out earlier not even once her feet landed on mine. Infact she was so light and flexible, it was very easy to move her around and she fitted so well in my arms.

The song was very heart touching and soon we were lost in its melody. Saber's face reflected as to how connected she was feeling to the song, her beautiful eyes bore into mine, telling me that the lyrics were what she actually felt towards me considering how I always saw the girl hidden behind all that tough exterior, how I understood that just because she was a very strong person physically and emotionally it didn't mean that she had to rely on herself all the time, that deep inside her there was a childlike girl who needed to be loved like everybody else, who too wanted to laugh and enjoy, and sometimes to cry even and have someone to hug her and say that it would all be fine, that she too was a human.

 _Is this a dream?  
If it is  
Please don't wake me from this high  
I've become comfortably numb  
Until you opened up my eyes  
To what it's like  
When everything's right  
I can't believe_

 _You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
How did you know just where I would be?  
Yeah, you broke through  
All of my confusion  
The ups and the downs  
And you still didn't leave  
I guess that you saw what nobody could see  
You found me  
You found me_

 _So, here we are  
That's pretty far  
When you think of where we've been  
No going back  
I'm fading out  
All that has faded me within  
You're by my side  
Now everything's fine  
I can't believe_

 _You found me  
When no one else was lookin'  
How did you know just where I would be?  
Yeah, you broke through  
All of my confusion  
The ups and the downs  
And you still didn't leave  
_

_And I was hiding, until you came along and showed where I belong_

 _You found me when no one else was lookin'_

 _How did you know? How did you know?_

 _You found me when no one else was lookin'_

 _How did you know just where I would be?_

 _The good and the bad and the things in between_

 _You found me.._

When the song ended, we both couldn't look away from each other and kept staring into each other's eyes. It was too overwhelming. My mind had gone blank and all I could remember was her, again she was inspiring such foreign feelings in me and even before I realized my face was suddenly so close to hers that I could feel her breath. Saber stood clinging to me, her hand sliding from my shoulder to my cheek which she began to stroke gently with her thumb. I was lost in her touch, it felt so good, I never wanted the moment to end. Our faces were drawing closer and closer when the next song started playing and it was a very loud one, the sound thus bringing us both out of our trance and making us realize our proximity, we instantly moved apart. Saber seemed quite shaken and so was I.

For a moment there was complete silence between us, and then she spoke,

"It's already more than an hour Goku, I think we should go back now, everyone must be waiting for us." Her voice was heavy and solemn now, all the happiness gone.

What the hell did just happen? I was so confused to formulate anything that I no more had a desire to stay there any longer and like her felt a strong need to go back thus I called Nimbus and we both headed back to the theatre. Even on the not so spacious cloud Saber managed to sit as far as possible from me, not looking at me even once. I couldn't think of any way of changing her mood as I too hadn't been able to come out of whatever had happened between us after the song and still felt quite disturbed and taken aback by it. When we reached the theatre everyone was waiting for us outside.

"Sorry guys, have you all been waiting for long?" I asked.

"No the movie just got over with." Sakura said.

"Goku!" Illiya exclaimed happily then came running to me and clung to my leg affectionately. I ruffled her hair playfully.

"You shouldn't have left like that, the movie was so good! There was big giant dragon and.. and.." she began but I stopped her.

"Illiya wait, look it's already late and I think we should first go and celebrate my birthday then you can tell me about it later." I said, she pouted, but then agreed happily as after all she too was eager to celebrate it.

Then we all went to the nearby restaurant, we had brought the cake along. So finally it was cut, photos clicked, then followed the dinner. I and Saber being already full didn't eat much. **(A/N: Yeah it's seems quite bizarre but in my story Goku has the appetite of a normal human ^-^).** Saber managed well to put on a fake smile throughout. At last we all left for home. Reaching our apartment everyone started to get down the car and moved inside, Saber too got down but stood waiting for me to come out. I didn't want to face her yet but it seemed she was not going anywhere before she had confronted me.

"What was she going to say anyway?" I thought nervously but then taking a deep breath I pulled and placed Illiya on my back, she had fallen asleep in the car while narrating the story of the movie, which I hadn't even been listening to.

Once I stepped out,

"Thanks for the wonderful evening Goku, I won't ever forget it." She came up with a smile and a genuine one; I was quite surprised as to this was what she had to say? Now even before I could say anything she was gone inside. Anyways from how off she had been after what had happened between us I was expecting her to be mad at me but realizing that it was not so I do was feeling much better now. May be she had behaved that way because she was quite shaken then like I was and just needed time to compose herself. With this comforting thought in mind I got inside and went to Sakura's room, it was decided that Illiya was to share the room with her, Rin and Fujimura. I knocked at the door but when no one answered I moved inside. I figured she, Fuji and Rin must be in the changing room. I took out the bed sheet from the shelf and finally tucked Illiya in.

Then I went to my room, Shirou had changed and was already under the covers. Whatever had followed after that song in the street had kept me so occupied with things and people that I hadn't been able to give a proper thought to the shocking realization that had hit me the moment the other song had interrupted me and Saber from, ah, well, oh boy I felt so shy even saying it in my head. So, well, thus now when I was getting a proper time alone I finally could dive into the depths of my thoughts and rejoice into the latest revelations about my own emotions that had dawned upon me. Without even changing my clothes I got onto my bed and closed my eyes, and then everything ranging from when I had first seen Saber in the tournament to the present moment flashed infront of my eyes within a matter of seconds. All those strange unexplained feelings, those unknown emotions, my ever growing attachment towards her, all was making sense now. What surprised me the most was, how did I not realize it before? The ans had always been infront of me. I had never ever felt such an intense emotion in my life as I was feeling now, it was beyond any explanation or words, my body seemed to be floating and somewhat feverish but in a good way. My heart was beating like crazy, I felt so giddy that I wanted to dance, shout, even scream and tell the whole world how much I loved this girl! Boy it all was such madness yet at the same time seemed the greatest feeling in the world. Then another thought hit me, what about Saber? Did she feel the same for me? Well, since that night at the hut, how she had been acting so affectionate and caring towards me it did seem so. And how she too was completely lost and didn't back out till the song hadn't interrupted us, again pointed the same. Though she was upset later but how at the end of the day she had thanked me for the evening it had led me to formulate that her reason for acting low was not that she didn't want such a thing between us but it was just because she too must have been overwhelmed by the strong emotions just like I was. Also she being the stubborn girl that she was who wanted to dedicate her life entirely on focusing and becoming a great fighter, for whom earthly feelings were a sign of weakness, accepting such deep emotion like love sure would be unnerving. But still, whether she appreciated it or not, all signs indicated that she did have a thing for me. The moment I drew this conclusion my face went red with blush and I couldn't stop smiling like an idiot. I decided then and there that no matter how hard she was going to try to run away from it all, I was going to win her over for me at any cost because one thing had registered itself firmly in my heart that I no more could live without her. With this and numerous similar thoughts in mind I giddily turned to my side when my eyes fell on a journal kept at the table beside my bed.

A small tag was attached to it reading, 'Happy Birthday Goku from Rin'. Instantly all thoughts discarded the face of Rin came to my mind. When earlier we were heading home, for once the thought had stuck me that how she, who has always been presenting me with gifts on birthdays I never celebrated has not given me anything when I actually had celebrated one now. But then I hadn't given it much considering. Though now I realized that this time she had chosen another way of surprising me. Sudden guilt captured my heart and I couldn't help but think that the girl who had always been my partner in all my sorrows and joys, the one who had spent so many nights outside the door when on my birthdays I kept playing the piano inside the music room, the one who had made so many attempts to pursue me for it and had always been more excited than me to celebrate my special day, how could I forget her when I finally did celebrate it? I had spent so less time with her.

Quickly I got up and went to Sakura's room, she had changed into her night gown and was laying down the sheets but Rin and Fuji were nowhere to be seen,

"Where's Rin? Isn't she done changing yet?" I asked.

"She didn't come to the changing room; I thought she must be with you." Sakura replied.

"No she wasn't with me.." I informed her worriedly before I began searching for Rin. Finally I found her sitting on the outside porch.

"Rin!" I called.

"Goku!" She turned giving me a surprised look.

"Why are you sitting here all alone?" I enquired.

"Nothing, no particular reason." She replied.

"Rin thanks for the journal, it's very nice. And I am sorry, I couldn't give you much time today, I.." I began saying but she didn't let me complete.

"It's okay Goku, you and me spending time together is quite frequent, but with Saber the opportunities are less and it's not that often, so it's fine." She said with an understanding look.

" That's right but this is the first time I celebrated my birthday and you always had been so excited for this day to come, and when it did come I just left you out." I said with regret.

"No Goku, you did cut the cake with all of us, and we did the dinner together, doesn't that count? So it's not that big of a deal, it's nothing like you left me or anyone out, ok?" she said.

"Really? You aren't feeling bad about it? Because if you are, then don't restrict yourself thinking it's my birthday and so you don't want to be harsh, you can shout on me."

"No goku, how should I make you understand this! It's you who is assuming you left me out, I really didn't feel anything as such." She pressed.

"Fine if you say so. I am surprised though you aren't mad at me." I smiled at her,

"Since when did you grow so mature?" I teased, she pouted before playfully hitting my arm.

"Hey, it's not late. Even now we can go out to the lake, just you and me, still two hours left for it to be 12 midnight, my birthday isn't over yet!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"Goku no! I am very tired, and I just want to go and sleep." Rin pleaded.

"Rin please, though you are ok with it but I won't stop feeling guilty till I haven't spent some time only with you, I want to have some special memory of us both from this occasion." I said.

"I told you when it's fine with me you need not to feel guilty, and I am sorry but I really am feeling very sleepy and am in no condition to go out anywhere." She said.

"But what about when you were sitting here, all of a sudden how come you started feeling so sleepy?" I asked.

"Why would I lie to you? I was just about to go for sleeping when you came." She said.

But her answers didn't satisfy me because as much as I knew Rin she would give away on anything, even her sleep, if she got to spend with me. Thus I couldn't buy that being sleepy was the reason she was so eager to leave.

Now even before I could enquire her more, avoiding my gaze she started to go but grapping her arm I turned her around,

"Don't play around with me Rin, I know you well and I know that you are hiding something, tell me what it is?" I pressed, and this was when her façade broke.

"What if I even tell you! You won't be able to do anything about it!" she yelled fuming with anger.

"Rin, what happened?" I asked getting worried and concerned at her sudden outburst.

"You won't understand, just leave me alone!" she said, this time her voice not angry but watery.

I really couldn't get what was up with her, why was she suddenly behaving like that?

Removing her hand away from my grasp she again turned to go.

"Rin you can tell me." I pleaded. Though I had not expected her to but she turned back, I felt a pang at my heart when I saw tears flowing from her eyes.

"Rin, Princess, What's the matter? Why are you crying?" I asked, and wasted no time in pulling her into my arms. She didn't protest anymore and embraced me tightly.

Her breaking down like that was just making me even more and more worried with every passing second.

After a while she pulled back and looked into eyes, I wiped off her tears and kissed her forehead,

"Tell me now, what happened?" I asked again, stroking her cheeks.

But instead of answering my concern, and even before I could comprehend anything her lips blundered into mine. I was totally shocked as she began kissing me passionately, immediately I pushed her away with force.

"Rin! What the hell do you think you are doing?" I asked panting, my voice hoarse from her short kiss.

Suddenly she seemed to realize what she had done; both her hands flew to her mouth, her face horrified, without a word she turned and ran away.

It all was so much for me to take that it took a while for me to compose myself and go after her.

Reaching Sakura's room I could hear Rin's sobs while Sakura and Fujimura seemed to be trying to calm her down. I knocked at the door.

"Leave!" Rin shouted.

But ignoring it I slid open the door, got in and gestured Sakura and Fuji to move out of the way which they did instantly. I bent down and pulled Rin into my embrace, she began struggling throwing her hands and legs in all directions shouting for me to leave. It was very difficult to control her, her anger being at it's peak. But I kept tightening my hold on her, trying to stop all her movements, and after a while I succeeded; she couldn't move a limb anymore, no matter how hard she tried. I began rocking her back and forth and whispered soothing words in her ear. Gradually she relaxed and finally gave up. Her anger was gone and she simply hugged me.

"I love you Goku, I love you!" She sobbed.

"Shush, just go to sleep." I whispered to her.

"Promise that you won't leave me ever." She mumbled.

"I won't. I am here with you and always be there for you. I am not going anywhere, ok, now relax and go to sleep." I assured her.

Then she was completely silent for few minutes, I kept rocking her back and forth, humming the tune of her most favorites songs in her ear. Then it was not long before she fell asleep. Slowly I laid her down on her bed sheet and drew the covers.

"You knew about it all along?" I questioned Sakura, who had been speechlessly witnessing everything sitting in the corner of the room. Fujimura seemed clueless about the matter so I didn't say anything to her.

Sakura responded with a feeble nod.

"Why didn't you tell me then?" I asked.

"I wanted that it was the best if she herself told you about her feelings. Also she had asked me not to tell you." She said.

I nodded in understanding and got up to go, Sakura and Fuji tried to stop me and were calling me from behind but my heart felt like lead and at the moment I didn't feel like talking to anyone thus ignoring their calls I left the room.

Once reaching into in my room, a flood of emotions inundated me as I went and sat on my bed.

A while ago when I had acknowledged my feelings for Saber I had felt like the happiest person alive and now when it had got revealed to me that my best friend was in love with me, and had also seen the height of her affection for me from how she had reacted, I felt like hell for I couldn't love her back and return her feelings. She would be so hurt and hurting Rin was something I didn't want to do even by mistake.

I was feeling angry towards myself as to how could I be such a fool that I never saw it coming? I didn't ever had the slightest idea about it before, but now that Rin's feeling lay open infront me I felt like it had been so obvious through all those years, but it was me who couldn't see it. Sakura was right, when it came to romantic feelings or matters like love I was the biggest idiot. If only I had realized it earlier I could have mended things before they got too serious but now it seemed too late. Somehow it was managed for the moment but I had to face Rin ultimately and make it clear to her that it couldn't happen between us, that we only meant to be friends and nothing more, but then she was going to be shattered. What was I suppose to do? I slapped my head with irritation,

How all the more complicated my life was going to get!

 **TBC…..**


End file.
